Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer

This article reviews recent advance in our understanding of ovarian endometriomas, with special reference of atypical epithelial features (atypical endometriosis) and its relationship to neoplasm. Mainly, two epithelial ovarian carcinoma subtypes, the ovarian clear cell carcinomas and the endometrioid ovarian carcinomas, have been molecularly and epidemiologically linked to endometriosis. The clear cell and endometrioid adenocarcinomas have common immunohistochemical markers, genetic changes are the same as atypical endometriosis. The occurrence of ARID1A mutations and alterations in the PI3K/AKT pathway in endometriosis and endometriosis-associated ovarian carcinomas, as well as the possible functional and clinical implications are discussed in this review. Therefore, development of a screening method that can detect mutations of ARID1A and activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway might enable early diagnosis of endometriosis associated ovarian cancers and endometrial cancers.

endometriosis, ovarian clear cell carcinoma, endometrial ovarian carcinoma, suppressor genes ARID1A, suppressor genes PTEN, PI3K/AKT-pathway