EPITHELIAL OVARIAN-CANCER RISK AMONG WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC-OVARY-SYNDROME

Objective: To investigate the relationship between polycystic ovary sy ndrome (PCOS) and ovarian cancer, and to present three hypotheses rega rding hormonal factors and the risk of ovarian cancer in women. Method s: Data were analyzed from a population-based, case-control study, the Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study, to test the hypotheses. Pour hundre d seventy-six subjects with histologically confirmed epithelial ovaria n cancer were identified from eight tumor registries of the Surveillan ce Epidemiology and End Results program. The study included 4081 contr ols ascertained via ramdom-digit telephone dialing. All subjects and c ontrols were aged 20-54, years. Results: Seven subjects with ovarian c ancer and 24 controls reported that they had been diagnosed with PCOS before the study period. Ovarian cancer risk was found to increase 2.5 -fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-5.9) among women with PCOS. Th is association is found to be stronger among women who never used Oral contraceptives (odds ratio [OR] 10.5, 95% CI 2.5-44.2) and women who were in the first quartile of body mass index (13.3-18.5 kg/m(2)) at a ge 18 (OR 15.6, 95% CI 3.4-71.0). Conclusion: The data suggest that th e hormonal status of women with PCOS featuring abnormal patterns of go nadotropic secretion (enhanced levels of LH) in lean women may be a mi tigating fatter for the observed association between PCOS and ovarian cancer. We hope that our preliminary data stimulate further investigat ion of the testable hypotheses.