A new study finds that women with endometriosis are four times more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women without endometriosis.
For people with severe forms of this painful, long-term condition, the risk of cancer is increased tenfold.
Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the womb grows outside the womb itself. In the UK, endometriosis affects one in ten women.
Previous research has shown a link between endometriosis and ovarian cancer. However, new findings from the University of Utah show that particularly severe endometriosis can significantly increase the risk of this life-threatening disease.
The analysis of more than 78,000 women with endometriosis found that women who had more severe forms of the condition were up to 20 times more likely to develop ovarian cancer.
Women with endometriosis are four times more likely to develop ovarian cancer than women without endometriosis, a new study finds (Stock image)
Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the womb grows outside the womb itself and affects one in ten women in the UK
This is comparable to the risk of lung cancer that smokers run.
According to experts, this is because severe endometriosis can cause cysts in the ovaries, which can develop into cancer.
The study found that women with any form of endometriosis had a four-fold increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, compared with women who did not have endometriosis.
Ovarian cancer is relatively rare in the UK, with only 7,500 new cases occurring each year.
However, it can be particularly difficult to diagnose the disease in its early stages because many symptoms are associated with other, less serious illnesses.
About 4,000 women die from ovarian cancer each year.
Doctors also struggle to recognise endometriosis. In the UK, patients wait an average of more than eight years from the onset of their symptoms to receive a diagnosis.
Ovarian cancer is relatively rare in the UK, with only 7,500 new cases each year (Stock image)
Patients diagnosed are often prescribed contraceptives, which help reduce symptoms, or undergo surgery to cut away pieces of endometriosis tissue.
Dr. Jennifer Doherty, a cancer researcher at the University of Utah and an author of the study, described the findings as “really important.”
“This has implications for clinical care for people with severe endometriosis, as they would benefit from education about ovarian cancer risk and prevention,” she said.
‘The research will also lead to further studies to understand the mechanisms by which specific forms of endometriosis cause different forms of ovarian cancer.’