Evidence Suggests Bidirectional Risk Between Ovarian, Colorectal Cancers

A notable bidirectional relationship may exist between ovarian and colorectal cancers, according too a

Addressing Evidence Gaps in Ovarian, Colorectal Cancer Risk

Ovarian and colorectal (colon or rectal) cancers are among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide and pose substantial public health burdens for women. Although these cancers are typically studied separately, researchers highlighted emerging evidence suggesting a possible link between them,raising questions about whether shared genetic factors may predispose individuals to both malignancies.²

Despite increasing interest in this association, they noted that limited data exist from both perspectives: the risk of colorectal cancer in women with ovarian cancer and the risk of ovarian cancer in women with colorectal cancer.¹ To address this gap, the researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. The analysis also examined the role of borderline ovarian tumors (BOT) and their subtypes, especially serous and mucinous borderline tumors.

They used standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) to identify these risks. This measure allowed the researchers to assess whether patients with ovarian or colorectal cancer are at an elevated risk of developing the other malignancy compared with the general population.

the literature search was conducted on September 27, 2024, across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Studies were screened in 2 phases: first with an initial review of titles and abstracts, followed by a full-text evaluation.

The initial search yielded 2544 eligible studies from Web of Science, 2869 from Scopus, and 1137 from PubMed. However, the