The relation between endometriosis and ovarian cancer – a review

Lene N Heidemann, Lene Nyhøj Heidemann, Dorthe Hartwell, Christian Hamilton Heidemann, Christian H Heidemann, Kirsten Jochumsen, Kirsten M Jochumsen
Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2013 · vol. 93(1) , pp. 20–31 · doi:10.1111/aogs.12255 · PMID:24011403 · W2168581887
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This review assessed literature on the endometriosis-ovarian cancer link, finding an increased risk of clear-cell and endometrioid ovarian cancer in women with histologically verified endometriosis.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is known to harbor characteristics substantiating its possible role as a precursor of ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of the literature regarding the association between endometriosis and ovarian cancer and to estimate the extent of this relation. METHODS: An electronic literature search was conducted in PubMed and 1112 articles dealing with the relation between endometriosis and ovarian cancer were identified. Original articles based on case-control studies, cohort studies and cross-sectional studies were included. Studies consisting of populations with self-reported endometriosis were excluded, as were articles with fewer than 20 cases of ovarian cancer. Twenty-eight studies underwent detailed quality assessments based on the checklists developed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). Meta-analyses were conducted on selected subgroups of ovarian cancer with coexisting endometriosis. RESULTS: None of the 28 studies was given the highest possible rating using the SIGN checklists. The risk of ovarian cancer in women with endometriosis was reported to be a standardized incidence ratio of 1.43-8.95, a rate ratio of 1.6-2.88, an odds ratio of 1.34, with a prevalence of ovarian cancer in 2.0-17.0% of women with endometriosis. Conversely, the prevalence of endometriosis in women with ovarian cancer ranged from 3.4 to 52.6%. Meta-analysis results were weakened by heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: There is sufficient evidence to conclude that there is an increased risk of developing clear-cell and endometrioid epithelial ovarian cancer for women with histologically verified endometriosis. Nonetheless, prospective cohort studies assessing the relation between endometriosis and ovarian cancer will increase knowledge in this field.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Ovarian Neoplasms Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Incidence Ovarian Neoplasms Ovarian Neoplasms Ovarian Neoplasms Prevalence Risk

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (73)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK