Pol Arch Intern Med. 2022 Jan 19. doi: 10.20452/pamw.16195. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, and early detection of ovarian cancer is important for prognosis. Human epididymal secretory protein 4 (HE4) elevation has been studied as a crucial biomarker for ovarian cancer. There are currently many organic pollutants in the environment, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to determine relationships among PAH exposure, HE4 levels and ovarian cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study enrolled 799 participants over the age of 20 from U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) datasets (2001 and 2002) with complete data for multivariable analysis consisting of urinary PAH metabolites. A multivariable linear regression model was used to investigate the associations between PAH metabolites and HE4 in ovarian cancer.
RESULTS: Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that except for 2-hydroxyphenanthrene, PAH metabolites correlated positively with In(HE4) after adjustment for relevant covariates (all P < 0.05). Higher quartiles of PHA metabolites tended to be associated with higher HE4 levels, with statistical significance in quartile-based analysis. A dose-dependent relationship between PAH metabolites and HE4 was found (all P-trends < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PAH was found to be associated with elevated HE4 levels and a higher risk of ovarian cancer, and epidemiological evidence revealed the influential impact. This result will alert gynecologists and public health experts to pay more attention to the potential role of PAH metabolites in the tumorigenesis of ovarian cancer.
PMID:35044732 | DOI:10.20452/pamw.16195
