REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1578470
This article is part of the Research TopicNeural influences on tumor immunity: Exploring neuroimmunology in cancerView all 3 articles
The Relationship Between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gynecological Cancers: Neurotransmitter Metabolism Changes and Immune Regulation
Provisionally accepted
- 1Faculty of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China, Macau, China
- 2Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
- 3Guang’anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
- 4Guang'anmen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, Beijing, China
- 5The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
- 6China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting approximately 10% of middle-aged women worldwide. It is characterized by hirsutism, anovulation, and polycystic ovaries. Various factors, including environmental toxins, inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance, contribute to the progression of this condition. PCOS is also associated with metabolic disturbances, such as abnormal hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, leading to obesity, hyperandrogenemia, and type 2 diabetes. Among female cancers, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer have high incidence rates and pose significant threats to women's health. Studies suggest a potential link between PCOS and these gynecological cancers. Consequently, hormonal alterations in PCOS patients may influence tumorigenesis and metastasis. Moreover, PCOS is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, including dysregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, increased immune cell proliferation, and endothelial dysfunction. These factors contribute to cancer development, primarily through impaired immune metabolism, preventing effective tumor cell clearance and facilitating metastasis. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the mechanistic links between PCOS and gynecological cancers, focusing on the roles of immune cell dysfunction, aberrant cytokine secretion, and neurotransmitter metabolism. Therapeutic strategies, including hormonal interventions, insulin sensitizers, and lifestyle modifications, may mitigate cancer risk by modulating these pathways. This review highlights critical gaps in understanding PCOS-related oncogenesis and advocates for further research to elucidate molecular mechanisms and optimize clinical management.
Keywords: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, tumors, immune cells, neurotransmitters, ovarian cancer
Received: 17 Feb 2025; Accepted: 22 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wu, Zhang, Wu, An, Wang, Ni and Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jin-xia Ni, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100001, Beijing Municipality, China
Min Chen, Faculty of Chinese Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, Macau SAR, China, Macau, China
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