Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Abstract While epidemiological studies have associated endometriosis with ovarian cancer risk, the causal relationships across anatomic subtypes and histotypes remain undefined. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization with 84 genetic instruments (F-statistic = 30.01–228.09), we analyzed genome-wide...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xu Zhang, Li Wang, Xingxing Ruan, Jie Ding, Jing Wan, Chengfang Xu, Xiaomao Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-08-01
Series:Discover Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03387-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849234597159632896
author Xu Zhang
Li Wang
Xingxing Ruan
Jie Ding
Jing Wan
Chengfang Xu
Xiaomao Li
author_facet Xu Zhang
Li Wang
Xingxing Ruan
Jie Ding
Jing Wan
Chengfang Xu
Xiaomao Li
author_sort Xu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract While epidemiological studies have associated endometriosis with ovarian cancer risk, the causal relationships across anatomic subtypes and histotypes remain undefined. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization with 84 genetic instruments (F-statistic = 30.01–228.09), we analyzed genome-wide data from 20,190 endometriosis cases and 25,509 ovarian cancer patients. Genetically proxied endometriosis significantly increased risks of overall ovarian cancer [OR = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.10–1.28), high-grade serous (OR:1.12, 95% CI 1.01–1.23), clear cell (OR:1.87, 95% CI 1.44–2.43), and endometrioid carcinomas (OR:1.48, 95% CI 1.30–1.69)]. Anatomic subtype analyses revealed differential effects. Pelvic peritoneal lesions showed the highest risk for clear cell carcinoma (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.52–2.16). Deep endometriosis broadly impacted high-grade serous (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.17) and endometrioid carcinomas (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.13–1.40). Ovarian endometriosis specifically elevated clear cell (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.46–1.86) and endometrioid risks (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.30–1.69;). Rectovaginal lesions selectively increased endometrioid carcinoma risk (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.04–1.51). No associations were emerged between any type of endometriosis for low-grade serous or invasive mucinous ovarian. Significant heterogeneity was detected in ovarian endometriosis-mucinous cancer associations persisting after MR-PRESSO outlier correction, while other associations retained consistent effect sizes post-adjustment. Funnel plot symmetry, leave-one-out stability, and MR-Egger intercept collectively confirmed result robustness without directional pleiotropy. This study provides novel evidence that endometriosis causally increases risk of specific ovarian cancer histotypes, particularly demonstrating that anatomic subtypes represent distinct etiological entities with differential oncogenic potential, where pelvic peritoneal lesions emerge as a previously underappreciated high-risk subtype for clear cell carcinoma development, thereby offering critical insights for refining risk stratification protocols and guiding targeted surveillance strategies in clinical practice.
format Article
id doaj-art-1b8409b371c940daaf6ad05e0b70f025
institution Kabale University
issn 2730-6011
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Springer
record_format Article
series Discover Oncology
spelling doaj-art-1b8409b371c940daaf6ad05e0b70f0252025-08-20T04:03:06ZengSpringerDiscover Oncology2730-60112025-08-0116111010.1007/s12672-025-03387-1Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization studyXu Zhang0Li Wang1Xingxing Ruan2Jie Ding3Jing Wan4Chengfang Xu5Xiaomao Li6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen UniversityAbstract While epidemiological studies have associated endometriosis with ovarian cancer risk, the causal relationships across anatomic subtypes and histotypes remain undefined. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization with 84 genetic instruments (F-statistic = 30.01–228.09), we analyzed genome-wide data from 20,190 endometriosis cases and 25,509 ovarian cancer patients. Genetically proxied endometriosis significantly increased risks of overall ovarian cancer [OR = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.10–1.28), high-grade serous (OR:1.12, 95% CI 1.01–1.23), clear cell (OR:1.87, 95% CI 1.44–2.43), and endometrioid carcinomas (OR:1.48, 95% CI 1.30–1.69)]. Anatomic subtype analyses revealed differential effects. Pelvic peritoneal lesions showed the highest risk for clear cell carcinoma (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.52–2.16). Deep endometriosis broadly impacted high-grade serous (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.17) and endometrioid carcinomas (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.13–1.40). Ovarian endometriosis specifically elevated clear cell (OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.46–1.86) and endometrioid risks (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.30–1.69;). Rectovaginal lesions selectively increased endometrioid carcinoma risk (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.04–1.51). No associations were emerged between any type of endometriosis for low-grade serous or invasive mucinous ovarian. Significant heterogeneity was detected in ovarian endometriosis-mucinous cancer associations persisting after MR-PRESSO outlier correction, while other associations retained consistent effect sizes post-adjustment. Funnel plot symmetry, leave-one-out stability, and MR-Egger intercept collectively confirmed result robustness without directional pleiotropy. This study provides novel evidence that endometriosis causally increases risk of specific ovarian cancer histotypes, particularly demonstrating that anatomic subtypes represent distinct etiological entities with differential oncogenic potential, where pelvic peritoneal lesions emerge as a previously underappreciated high-risk subtype for clear cell carcinoma development, thereby offering critical insights for refining risk stratification protocols and guiding targeted surveillance strategies in clinical practice.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03387-1Endometriosis subtypesOvarian cancer histotypesMendelian randomizationCausal inferenceGenetic epidemiology
spellingShingle Xu Zhang
Li Wang
Xingxing Ruan
Jie Ding
Jing Wan
Chengfang Xu
Xiaomao Li
Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Discover Oncology
Endometriosis subtypes
Ovarian cancer histotypes
Mendelian randomization
Causal inference
Genetic epidemiology
title Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
title_full Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
title_fullStr Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
title_full_unstemmed Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
title_short Anatomic subtype-specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
title_sort anatomic subtype specific causal effects of endometriosis on ovarian cancer a two sample mendelian randomization study
topic Endometriosis subtypes
Ovarian cancer histotypes
Mendelian randomization
Causal inference
Genetic epidemiology
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-03387-1
work_keys_str_mv AT xuzhang anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT liwang anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT xingxingruan anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT jieding anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT jingwan anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT chengfangxu anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy
AT xiaomaoli anatomicsubtypespecificcausaleffectsofendometriosisonovariancanceratwosamplemendelianrandomizationstudy