Women with Polycystic Ovaries Have Higher Ovarian Cancer Risk

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a variety of presentations, from simple anovulation to insulin insensitivity, hirsutism, and hyperandrogenism. Does the altered hormonal environment in PCOS . . .

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a variety of presentations, from simple anovulation to insulin insensitivity, hirsutism, and hyperandrogenism. Does the altered hormonal environment in PCOS predispose patients to ovarian cancer? This analysis of data from a population-based case-control study compared rates of PCOS among 476 women with epithelial ovarian cancer and 4081 matched controls.

Seven cases and 24 controls reported PCOS diagnoses. Ovarian cancer was 2.5 times more common in women with PCOS (95% CI, 1.1-5.9). A multivariate analysis yielded little evidence of confounding by age or reproductive history, and cancer cases and controls with PCOS had comparable infertility rates (43-46%). The association between PCOS and cancer was st…

Reviewing Author

SA Carson