Women with Endometriosis… Risk of Developing ‘This Cancer’ Is 4 Times Higher

A study found that women with endometriosis have a four times higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue attaches to tissues other than the uterus and proliferates. It causes symptoms such as menstrual cramps, nausea, and extreme fatigue, and can also cause infertility.

Researchers at the University of Utah analyzed health data from about 500,000 Utah women ages 18 to 55 and found that women with endometriosis had a 4.2 times higher risk of all types of ovarian cancer than women without endometriosis. The risk was even higher, at about 9.7 times, for women with the more severe form, deep endometriosis, endometriomas, or both. Deep endometriosis is when endometrial tissue invades deep into the pelvic peritoneum, bladder, ureters, pelvic nerves, upper vagina, and rectal muscle layers, while endometriomas are cysts that form in the ovaries.

Previous research has shown that women with endometriosis have a 1.4-fold increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, but this study suggests the link between the two conditions may be much higher. However, experts point out that the risk of developing ovarian cancer itself is still rare.

“Because ovarian cancer cases are rare, the association with endometriosis only adds about 10 to 20 new cases per 10,000 women,” said Karen Schliff, an associate professor of public health at the Jewish University of Jerusalem. “We don’t recommend any changes in clinical practice or policy at this time,” she added. “The best way to prevent ovarian cancer remains the same: exercise, quit smoking, and limit alcohol consumption.”

Ovarian cancer, which occurs in the ovaries, which play an important role in female reproduction and hormone secretion, has few symptoms in the early stages and is often diagnosed late because the symptoms are very mild even when it is considerably advanced. In the early stages, it is often discovered accidentally during a regular gynecological examination. Therefore, regular gynecological examinations are very important for early diagnosis.

According to Cancer Research UK, the five-year survival rate for women with ovarian cancer is about 45%. However, if detected early, that rate increases significantly to 90%.

According to the national cancer registration statistics released last year, the number of new ovarian cancer patients in 2021 was 3,221. Stage 3 patients account for 50%, and the 5-year survival rate is also low at 23-41%. Patients in their 50s were the most numerous at 28.7%, followed by those in their 60s at 20.5%, and those in their 40s at 17.8%. Therefore, even after middle age, you should take good care of your health through regular checkups.

The results of this study were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Network) under the title, “Endometriosis Typology and Ovarian Cancer Risk.”