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Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis: Underlying Mechanisms

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Endometriosis

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Abstract

Although it is well known that ovarian cancer, especially clear cell and endometrioid carcinoma, sometimes develops from endometriotic cyst, the precise mechanism of carcinogenesis is not clarified yet. Recently, several molecules, including HNF-1β, AKT/PI3K/Met, and ARID1A, have been shown to be involved in this carcinogenic process. Some of them are included in the “OCCC signature genes” which we identified as a gene group specifically expressed in clear cell carcinoma among ovarian cancers. “OCCC signature genes” contain many stress-related genes and were induced by treatment with the fluid of endometriotic cysts. The fluid of endometriotic cysts contained significantly high concentration of free iron and oxidative stress-related products. These findings suggest that microenvironment within the endometriotic cyst may play an important role in the malignant transformation of endometriosis and development of clear cell carcinoma, a rare histotype among ovarian cancers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kinki University, 377-2 Ono-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, 589-5811, Japan

    Masaki Mandai

  2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Ken Yamaguchi, Noriomi Matsumura & Ikuo Konishi

Authors
  1. Masaki Mandai
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  2. Ken Yamaguchi
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  3. Noriomi Matsumura
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  4. Ikuo Konishi
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Correspondence to Masaki Mandai .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Tottori, Japan

    Tasuku Harada

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Mandai, M., Yamaguchi, K., Matsumura, N., Konishi, I. (2014). Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis: Underlying Mechanisms. In: Harada, T. (eds) Endometriosis. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54421-0_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54421-0_15

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  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-54420-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-54421-0

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