Posted ,
Reading 2 mins.
According to a new study, there is a genetic link between endometriosis and epithelial ovarian cancer. The risk of developing this type of tumor for women with endometriosis remains very low. However, it is a further step towards understanding these two diseases.
Endometriosis and ovarian cancer
Endometriosis is a disease that falls within the gynecological sphere just like ovarian cancer. When cells of the endometrium (uterine lining) grow outside the lining of the uterus, it is called endometriosis. This pathology leads to the appearance of symptoms that can recur, such as pelvic pain, which is sometimes disabling for the patient. Endometriosis affects approximately one in ten women of childbearing age.
This disease can cause difficulty in conceiving a child. The lesions of endometriosis can be localized in several places, especially on the surrounding tissues. In some cases, lesions are found on the ovary. This endometrial disease, although benign compared to ovarian cancer, would share characteristics with this cancer.
Ovarian cancer, on the other hand, is more serious. Cancer cells begin to grow in the outer layer of the ovary, in the epithelium. According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 5,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in France. Moreover, it is the 8th most common cancer in women.
A link between endometriosis and ovarian cancer
In addition to being exclusively female, these two pathologies would have another link, at the genetic level. This is revealed by a study conducted by researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia and published in the medical journal Cell Reports Medicine. The results show that women who have genes that predispose them to endometriosis also have a higher, but slight, risk of developing ovarian cancer.
To reach these conclusions, Doctor Sally Mortlock’s team studied the genetic markers of around 15,000 women suffering from endometriosis and 25,000 women suffering from ovarian cancer. This analysis was made possible thanks to data on all of their genetic material.
The researchers then discovered 19 genetic markers present in female DNA, likely to predispose women to endometriosis and epithelial ovarian cancer. The lead author told the British magazine The Guardian than “We estimated that the lifetime likelihood of getting ovarian cancer is up to 2.6 times higher for women with genetic risk factors for endometriosis”.
Nevertheless, this increased risk of developing ovarian cancer is not very large. As Dr. Marlock clarified, “Overall, studies have estimated that 1 in 76 women are at risk of developing ovarian cancer in their lifetime, and endometriosis slightly increases that figure to 1 in 55.”.
The stakes of this discovery
Ultimately, the objective is not to generate concern in women who suffer from endometriosis. The aim is to better understand these two diseases, which could ultimately be linked. This is why scientists have tried to identify the genes potentially responsible for the occurrence of these pathologies, particularly in endometriosis. Indeed, according to the statements of Doctor Mortlock, “Endometriosis affects as many women as diabetes and asthma, but it hasn’t received the same level of attention or funding, leaving women to suffer in silence”.
By improving knowledge about endometriosis, therapeutic approaches could be developed, which is also the case for ovarian cancer. Drug treatments could help stop the progression of these two gynecological diseases.