Research Article
Published: 24 June, 2026 | Volume 10 - Issue 1 | Pages: 26-33
Introduction: Few studies have explored the vulnerability of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to developing cervical cancer and its precursor lesions. Objective: To describe the clinical, metabolic, and endocrine characteristics of a series of women with cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions and polycystic ovary syndrome, aiming to generate hypotheses regarding the potential pathophysiological mechanisms linking both conditions.
Methods: A descriptive and hypothesis-generating study was conducted. The series consisted of nine women with a cytological diagnosis of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) who also met the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS. Characterization included age, sexual behavior, toxic habits, history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), metabolic parameters (insulin resistance, dyslipidemia), serum hormone levels (testosterone, prolactin, estradiol), human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 infection, grade of the lesion, and PCOS phenotypes.
Results: The mean age was 37,11 ± 12,8 years. Abdominal obesity was detected in 55,5% and insulin resistance in 44,4% of cases. Hyperprolactinemia was present in 33,3%. HPV 16/18 infection was identified in 77,7% of cases. Most patients presented high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and PCOS phenotype D.
Conclusion: The presence of HSIL in more than a third of the women in this case series is compatible with the hypothesis that PCOS, particularly those with insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, or hyperprolactinemia, may act as a multifactorial risk factor for cervical lesions, either independently or synergistically through metabolic and hormonal pathways that interact with HPV. These findings should be interpreted as preliminary observations that warrant confirmation in larger, controlled studies.
Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.acem.1001035 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF
Cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions; Human Papillomavirus (HPV); Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS); Multifactorial risk factor
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