Hyperestrogenism: A Relevant Risk Factor for the Development of Cancer from Endometriosis

G M Zanetta, Gerardo Zanetta, Zanetta GM, M J Webb, Webb MJ, Maurice J. Webb, H Li, Li H, Hongzhe Li, Keeney GL, G L Keeney, Gary L. Keeney
Gynecologic oncology · 2000 · vol. 79(1) , pp. 18–22 · doi:10.1006/gyno.2000.5905 · PMID:11006024 · W2080661434
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 117 in-corpus citations
View on OpenAlex View on PubMed View at publisher
⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-06 ⓘ

This paper explores hyperestrogenism as a significant risk factor contributing to the development of cancer in patients with endometriosis.

One-sentence paraphrase of the abstract; not a substitute for reading it. No clinical advice. How this works

Abstract

ObjectiveEndometriosis is extremely common in developed countries. Obesity is a major health concern and may cause hyperestrogenism. Hormonal replacement, particularly unopposed estrogens after hysterectomy, is becoming popular. Because endometriosis is ectopic endometrium, hyperestrogenism (either endogenous or exogenous) may cause hyperplasia or transformation into cancer. This study was conducted to describe the main clinical and pathologic features of malignancies in endometriosis and define the treatment and outcome and to compare patients who had cancer arising in endometriosis with patients who had endometriosis but no cancer.MethodsPatients who had tumors from endometriosis diagnosed from 1986 to 1997 were analyzed retrospectively. Each patient was matched with two control patients (endometriosis without cancer) treated during the same study interval. Clinical and epidemiologic variables were compared to identify risk factors for the development of cancer.ResultWe identified 31 patients with cancer developing from endometriosis. Fifteen women were obese, 9 had a history of endometriosis, and 9 were taking unopposed estrogen. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma was the most common histologic type (16 patients). When the patients with cancer were compared with controls, no significantly higher risk for the development of cancer was found with prolonged use of unopposed estrogens or with higher body mass index, but a trend was observed. When obesity and use of unopposed estrogens were considered together, the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.05).ConclusionHyperestrogenism, either endogenous or exogenous, is a significant risk factor for the development of cancer from endometriosis. The prevalences of endometriosis, obesity, and use of hormonal replacement therapy in women in developed countries are increasing, and this trend justifies the assumption that cancer developing in endometriosis might become more common in the future.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Carcinoma, Endometrioid Endometriosis Estrogens Ovarian Neoplasms Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Carcinoma, Endometrioid Carcinoma, Endometrioid Colonic Neoplasms Colonic Neoplasms Colonic Neoplasms Endometriosis Estrogen Replacement Therapy Estrogen Replacement Therapy Estrogens Estrogens

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 (21)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-07-25T06:15:30.875455+00:00
openalex
last seen: 2026-06-10T17:14:06.276822+00:00
pubmed
last seen: 2026-05-13T22:13:36.046895+00:00
License: CC0 · commercial use OK