Potential scenarios leading to ovarian cancer arising from endometriosis

Hiroshi Kobayashi
Redox report : communications in free radical research · 2015 · vol. 21(3) , pp. 119–126 · doi:10.1179/1351000215y.0000000038 · PMID:26317761 · PMC6837701 · W2120847569
review OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 31 in-corpus citations
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This review identifies two potential pathways for ovarian cancer development from endometriosis, involving DNA damage from heme/iron and promotion of a protumoral microenvironment by antioxidants and immunosuppressive factors.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to highlight recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of malignant transformation of endometriosis. METHODS: This study reviewed the English-language literature concerning basic science studies of the potential promotion of carcinogenesis. RESULTS: Repeated episodes of hemorrhage occur in endometriosis at the onset of menstruation. Extracellular hemoglobin, heme, and iron derivatives in endometriosis cause DNA damage and mutations, which create increased cellular susceptibility to oxidant-mediated cell killing. Excess DNA damage and mutations are linked to cell death, but not carcinogenesis. In response to an oxidative and inflammatory microenvironment, endometriotic cells and macrophages secrete antioxidants that control excess oxidative stress in the surrounding environment. Exposure of endometriotic cells to a sublethal level of oxidative stress may lead to carcinogenesis. Macrophages also secrete immunosuppressive factors that lead to promotion of malignant transformation. DISCUSSION: At least two potential scenarios could result in ovarian cancer arising from endometriosis. The first step: extracellular hemoglobin, heme, and iron cause cellular oxidative damage by promoting reactive oxygen species formation, which results in DNA damage and mutations (ovarian cancer initiation from endometriosis). The second step: cancer progression may be associated with persistent antioxidant production favoring a protumoral microenvironment.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Ovarian Neoplasms Ovarian Neoplasms Antioxidants Antioxidants Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Cell Transformation, Neoplastic DNA Damage DNA Damage Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Iron Iron Ovarian Neoplasms Ovarian Neoplasms

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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 (58)

Cited by (31)

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