[breadcrumb]

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018.[1] There is come causal evidence that women who are exposed to asbestos may be at a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Two meta-analyses were conducted in 2011 to determine whether exposure to asbestos can cause ovarian cancer. In both, researchers concluded that women who were exposed to asbestos did have an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer, compared to a population of women who were not exposed.[2]

However, researchers were unable to conclude how asbestos led to ovarian cancer. There are several theories that point toward consistent inflammation in the ovaries from asbestos particles leading to the development of cancer, but researchers are unsure how asbestos reaches the ovaries in the first place, according to the National Institutes of Health.[3]

This link between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer is considered a causal connection, meaning asbestos is not the sole reason cancer developed, but it did play a major role in the development of the disease.

Researchers also discovered that, if cancer did not develop, women in the study are at a greater risk of developing mesothelioma of the ovaries.[4] The link between asbestos and mesothelioma has been known for decades, but the connection between asbestos and ovarian cancer is a more recent discovery.

The most common cause of mesothelioma is asbestos exposure, according to the American Cancer Society.[5]

This is because mesothelioma looks and acts similarly to ovarian cancer. As such, rates of ovarian cancer after exposure to asbestos still may not be completely accurate, even after the connection was made known to the medical community.[6]

Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is one of the most common forms of ovarian mesothelioma that can develop after exposure to asbestos. In order for medical professionals to distinguish between malignant peritoneal mesothelioma and ovarian epithelial neoplasm (the most common type of ovarian cancer), tissue pathology must be conducted. In addition, medical professionals must review social and familial histories, including screening for asbestos.[7]

In conclusion, there is a causal link between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer. It can disguise itself as different forms of mesothelioma. As such, it is vital for doctors and other medical professionals to take tissue samples and look for any possible exposure to asbestos before delivering a diagnosis.

[1] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/ovarian-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21610219

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230399/

[4] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html

[5] https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html

[6] https://journals.lww.com/ajsp/Abstract/2010/05000/PAX8_Reliably_Distinguishes_Ovarian_Serous_Tumors.4.aspx

[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4899076/