STUDY: Pelvic inflammation may promote ovarian cancer

JOURNAL: J Infect Dis 2003;187:1147-1152.

AUTHORS: Dr. Roberta Ness

ABSTRACT: Past or ongoing Chlamydia trachomatis infection may be a risk factor for ovarian cancer.

---

COMMENTARY: Dr. Roberta Ness from University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and colleagues measured IgG antibodies to C. trachomatis elementary bodies (E and to chlamydia outer-membrane 60-kDa or 10-kDa heat-shock protein (CHSP60 and CHSP10, respectively) in 117 women with ovarian cancer and 171 age- and ethnicity-matched women without ovarian cancer.

Women with ovarian cancer were more likely than women without ovarian cancer to have high levels of chlamydia-EB antibodies, the authors report, and the probability of ovarian cancer was 90% higher among women with the highest levels of antibodies against chlamydia-EB compared with the lowest levels.

CHSP60 significantly correlated with chlamydia-EB IgG, but higher levels of CHSP10 and CHSP60 were not associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer.

"This study adds more data in support of our hypothesis that pelvic inflammation may promote ovarian cancer."