PCOS and Cancer
I have suffered with PCOS since 1966 and it has affected my physical and emotional health in ways too numerous to elaborate on on this blog. I have had 3 surgeries for PCOS consequences, including one just a few weeks ago. I was in my 40s when I finally found a doctor who "got it" and treated the disease, not just the symptoms. If you need to know more or need to find a doctor - please feel free to write to me. - Barbara
If you have PCOS, you've probably heard that you have a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But what about cancer? Are you at risk?
The relationship between PCOS and cancers in general is not completely clear, although women who are overweight are more likely to get some kind of cancer. Women who are infertile (whether they have PCOS or not) are more likely than fertile women to get a cancer of the reproductive system.
The strongest link between a cancer and PCOS is endometrial cancer. A few studies have suggested a correlation between PCOS and breast cancer, while some have not. There doesn't seem to be any relationship between PCOS and ovarian cancer.
Breast cancer and endometrial cancer are described as "estrogen-sensitive" cancers, meaning that the presence of estrogen may cause these cancer cells to multiply.
The risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers is relevant to PCOS women because many have "estrogen dominance" or "unopposed estrogen", which means there is too much estrogen available to the cells, and there is too much estrogen in relation to progesterone.
There are three aspects of estrogen to be concerned about:
(1) Too much total estrogen.
(2) Imbalance of individual estrogens.
(3) Metabolism of estrogens.
In addition to having an excessive level of total estrogen, you could also have an imbalance of the individual estrogens that make up the total estrogen level. The 3 primary estrogens are: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Some women are low in estriol, which means they may have high estradiol and estrone, even though their total estrogen level is "normal".
An estrogen imbalance is significant for endometrial cancer, because the cells of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) have receptors for estradiol but not for estriol. Therefore, estriol cannot stimulate endometrial cancer cells. A woman with excessively high levels of estradiol and low levels of estriol has an increased cancer risk. Seeking the optimal balance of individual estrogens is a significant but overlooked health-building tactic.
The third aspect of estrogen to be concerned about is estrogen metabolism (how it is processed in your body).
Estrogen can be metabolized in two ways. Along one metabolic pathway, it is converted into a powerful metabolite, 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1) that acts to stimulate target tissues. Levels of 16alpha-OHE1 can rise in response to obesity, alcohol consumption or toxic exposure.
Alternately, the body can break down estrogen into a much weaker metabolite, called 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1). This hormone metabolite binds weakly to cell receptors and may slow cell proliferation.
High levels of 16alpha-OHE1 and low levels of 2-OHE1 have been linked to breast cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer and lupus. However, excessively high levels of 2-OHE1 may increase the risk of developing conditions associated with estrogen deficiency, such as heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis.
There are things you can do to achieve a healthy balance of 2-OHE1 and 16alpha-OHE1 estrogen metabolites. A healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, good liver function, clean environment, weight control, good bowel function, and selected supplements can all help you to metabolize estrogen in a healthy way.
What we've just discussed is pretty technical and may be hard to understand. But even if it's hard to understand, we think it's important to give you information that you may not be getting from other sources. PCOS is a very complex hormonal and metabolic disorder that represents a threat to your good health.
We think a simplistic approach of just taking birth control pills is NOT the answer to PCOS and infertility. Whether chronic consumption of birth control pills will reduce your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes is questionable.
Sources:
Wild, S et al, Long-term consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome: results of a 31 year follow-up study, Hum Fertil, 2000, 3(2):101-105
Balen, A, polycystic ovary syndrome and cancer, Hum Reprod Update, 2001, 7(6):522-5
Lord, RS et al, Estrogen metabolism and the diet-cancer connection: rationale for assessing the ratio of urinary hydroxylated estrogen metabolites, Altern Med Rev, 2002, 7(2):112-29
SOURCE
If you have PCOS, you've probably heard that you have a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. But what about cancer? Are you at risk?
The relationship between PCOS and cancers in general is not completely clear, although women who are overweight are more likely to get some kind of cancer. Women who are infertile (whether they have PCOS or not) are more likely than fertile women to get a cancer of the reproductive system.
The strongest link between a cancer and PCOS is endometrial cancer. A few studies have suggested a correlation between PCOS and breast cancer, while some have not. There doesn't seem to be any relationship between PCOS and ovarian cancer.
Breast cancer and endometrial cancer are described as "estrogen-sensitive" cancers, meaning that the presence of estrogen may cause these cancer cells to multiply.
The risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers is relevant to PCOS women because many have "estrogen dominance" or "unopposed estrogen", which means there is too much estrogen available to the cells, and there is too much estrogen in relation to progesterone.
There are three aspects of estrogen to be concerned about:
(1) Too much total estrogen.
(2) Imbalance of individual estrogens.
(3) Metabolism of estrogens.
In addition to having an excessive level of total estrogen, you could also have an imbalance of the individual estrogens that make up the total estrogen level. The 3 primary estrogens are: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Some women are low in estriol, which means they may have high estradiol and estrone, even though their total estrogen level is "normal".
An estrogen imbalance is significant for endometrial cancer, because the cells of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) have receptors for estradiol but not for estriol. Therefore, estriol cannot stimulate endometrial cancer cells. A woman with excessively high levels of estradiol and low levels of estriol has an increased cancer risk. Seeking the optimal balance of individual estrogens is a significant but overlooked health-building tactic.
The third aspect of estrogen to be concerned about is estrogen metabolism (how it is processed in your body).
Estrogen can be metabolized in two ways. Along one metabolic pathway, it is converted into a powerful metabolite, 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1) that acts to stimulate target tissues. Levels of 16alpha-OHE1 can rise in response to obesity, alcohol consumption or toxic exposure.
Alternately, the body can break down estrogen into a much weaker metabolite, called 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1). This hormone metabolite binds weakly to cell receptors and may slow cell proliferation.
High levels of 16alpha-OHE1 and low levels of 2-OHE1 have been linked to breast cancer, uterine cancer, cervical cancer and lupus. However, excessively high levels of 2-OHE1 may increase the risk of developing conditions associated with estrogen deficiency, such as heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis.
There are things you can do to achieve a healthy balance of 2-OHE1 and 16alpha-OHE1 estrogen metabolites. A healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, good liver function, clean environment, weight control, good bowel function, and selected supplements can all help you to metabolize estrogen in a healthy way.
What we've just discussed is pretty technical and may be hard to understand. But even if it's hard to understand, we think it's important to give you information that you may not be getting from other sources. PCOS is a very complex hormonal and metabolic disorder that represents a threat to your good health.
We think a simplistic approach of just taking birth control pills is NOT the answer to PCOS and infertility. Whether chronic consumption of birth control pills will reduce your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes is questionable.
Sources:
Wild, S et al, Long-term consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome: results of a 31 year follow-up study, Hum Fertil, 2000, 3(2):101-105
Balen, A, polycystic ovary syndrome and cancer, Hum Reprod Update, 2001, 7(6):522-5
Lord, RS et al, Estrogen metabolism and the diet-cancer connection: rationale for assessing the ratio of urinary hydroxylated estrogen metabolites, Altern Med Rev, 2002, 7(2):112-29
SOURCE
Comments
Thanks once again,
Eugenie Douglas (South Africa)