Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disease hormonal common in women of childbearing age. It can lead to fertility and hair disorders (hirsutism), as well as metabolic complications (diabetes).
This pathology is due to a hormonal imbalance of ovarian and/or central origin (in the brain). It involves an excessive production of androgens, in particular of testosterone, usually produced in small quantities in the female organism. This results in an increase in testosterone levels in the blood of the women concerned. THE symptoms include ovulation disorders, hyperpilosity, acne or even hair loss.
According to a new study published in theInternational Journal of Cancerwomen affected by PCOS would have a higher risk of ovarian cancer after menopause.
“ Our findings should be taken into account when revising guidelines on how to manage the health of women with PCOS in the long term said lead author Dr Clarissa Frandsen of the Danish Cancer Society Research Center in Copenhagen.
Excessive production of male hormones may explain the risk
“ Unfortunately, there is no effective screening for the early detection of ovarian cancer “, laments Dr. Frandsen.
Remember that if ovarian cancer is not as common as breast cancer, it is three times more deadly.
The Danish study was conducted on 1.7 million women born in Denmark from January 1940 to December 1993. Additional analysis was carried out on women who had reached the age of 51, which is the average age in Denmark for menopause.
The study found that 6,490 women were diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer and 2,990 with ovarian tumors during a median follow-up of 26 years.
The researchers found that the risk of developing ovarian cancer was significantly higher in postmenopausal women affected by PCOS.
” PCOS is a common but complex condition that represents a serious public health problem. It can affect a woman’s chances of getting pregnant and increase the risk of other diseases “said Dr. Maria Cristina Magli, laboratory director at the Italian Society via a press release.
The study cannot say why postmenopausal women were more likely to develop ovarian cancer. The excessive production ofmale sex hormones is one of the tracks according to the researchers.
