Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years

Abstract Little is known about modifiable risk factors for young-onset ovarian cancer, except for obesity and nulliparity. We investigated the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the risk of young-onset ovarian cancer. A total of 2,376,482 women aged 20–39 years who und...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Joo-Hyun Park, Jung Yong Hong, Kyungdo Han, Wonseok Kang, Jay J. Shen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99093-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850172952445714432
author Joo-Hyun Park
Jung Yong Hong
Kyungdo Han
Wonseok Kang
Jay J. Shen
author_facet Joo-Hyun Park
Jung Yong Hong
Kyungdo Han
Wonseok Kang
Jay J. Shen
author_sort Joo-Hyun Park
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Little is known about modifiable risk factors for young-onset ovarian cancer, except for obesity and nulliparity. We investigated the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the risk of young-onset ovarian cancer. A total of 2,376,482 women aged 20–39 years who underwent national health screening under the Korean National Health Insurance Service between 2009 and 2012 were included in this nationwide cohort study and followed-up until December 2022. The fatty liver index was used as a diagnostic biomarker for NAFLD. The risk was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models after adjusting for potential confounders. During 26.8 million person-years of follow-up (median: 11.5 years), 6,319 young women were newly diagnosed with young-onset ovarian cancer. The cumulative incidence probability was significantly higher for those with NAFLD than for those without (log-rank P < 0.01). NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30, 1.16–1.45). As the severity of NAFLD increased, the risk of young-onset ovarian cancer tended to increase (aHR, 95% CI: Moderate and severe NAFLD; 1.26, 1.12–1.41 and 1.45, 1.22–1.72, respectively; P for trend < 0.01). NAFLD was independently associated with an increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer. As NAFLD is modifiable, our findings may benefit the next generation by reducing premature morbidity and mortality associated with young-onset ovarian cancer.
format Article
id doaj-art-e3e63b69915b419cbfd0152ac24fdef9
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-e3e63b69915b419cbfd0152ac24fdef92025-08-20T02:19:57ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-011511910.1038/s41598-025-99093-7Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 yearsJoo-Hyun Park0Jung Yong Hong1Kyungdo Han2Wonseok Kang3Jay J. Shen4Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of MedicineDepartment of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of NevadaDepartment of Statistics and Actuarial Science, Soongsil UniversityDepartment of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Science and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan UniversityDepartment of Healthcare Administration and Policy, School of Public Health, University of NevadaAbstract Little is known about modifiable risk factors for young-onset ovarian cancer, except for obesity and nulliparity. We investigated the association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and the risk of young-onset ovarian cancer. A total of 2,376,482 women aged 20–39 years who underwent national health screening under the Korean National Health Insurance Service between 2009 and 2012 were included in this nationwide cohort study and followed-up until December 2022. The fatty liver index was used as a diagnostic biomarker for NAFLD. The risk was estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models after adjusting for potential confounders. During 26.8 million person-years of follow-up (median: 11.5 years), 6,319 young women were newly diagnosed with young-onset ovarian cancer. The cumulative incidence probability was significantly higher for those with NAFLD than for those without (log-rank P < 0.01). NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30, 1.16–1.45). As the severity of NAFLD increased, the risk of young-onset ovarian cancer tended to increase (aHR, 95% CI: Moderate and severe NAFLD; 1.26, 1.12–1.41 and 1.45, 1.22–1.72, respectively; P for trend < 0.01). NAFLD was independently associated with an increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer. As NAFLD is modifiable, our findings may benefit the next generation by reducing premature morbidity and mortality associated with young-onset ovarian cancer.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99093-7Ovarian cancersYoung populationNon-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseRisk factor
spellingShingle Joo-Hyun Park
Jung Yong Hong
Kyungdo Han
Wonseok Kang
Jay J. Shen
Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
Scientific Reports
Ovarian cancers
Young population
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Risk factor
title Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
title_full Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
title_fullStr Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
title_full_unstemmed Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
title_short Increased risk of young-onset ovarian cancer in women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A nationwide cohort study of 2.3 million women aged 20–39 years
title_sort increased risk of young onset ovarian cancer in women with non alcoholic fatty liver disease a nationwide cohort study of 2 3 million women aged 20 39 years
topic Ovarian cancers
Young population
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Risk factor
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99093-7
work_keys_str_mv AT joohyunpark increasedriskofyoungonsetovariancancerinwomenwithnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseanationwidecohortstudyof23millionwomenaged2039years
AT jungyonghong increasedriskofyoungonsetovariancancerinwomenwithnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseanationwidecohortstudyof23millionwomenaged2039years
AT kyungdohan increasedriskofyoungonsetovariancancerinwomenwithnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseanationwidecohortstudyof23millionwomenaged2039years
AT wonseokkang increasedriskofyoungonsetovariancancerinwomenwithnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseanationwidecohortstudyof23millionwomenaged2039years
AT jayjshen increasedriskofyoungonsetovariancancerinwomenwithnonalcoholicfattyliverdiseaseanationwidecohortstudyof23millionwomenaged2039years