ROCHESTER, Minn. — It can be years before doctors definitively diagnose endometrial or ovarian cancers in women, and by the time symptoms emerge, these patients are already in the advanced stages of the diseases. However, doctors at the Mayo Clinic are now closing in on ways to detect these two cancers earlier, using swab tests women can take in the comfort of their own homes.
Unlike other cancers, there are no standard screenings for endometrial and ovarian cancer. Along with a lack of preventative screening, the rate of endometrial cancer is expected to go up because of environmental factors, increasing obesity rates, and diabetes. Endometrial cancer currently ranks as the sixth most common cancer among women worldwide. Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common.
“Screening the microbiome for early detection may improve patient outcomes,” says Walther-Antonio, a researcher in the Mayo Clinic’s Departments of Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, in a media release. The team’s work will be presented at the Mayo Clinic Individualizing Medicine Conference.
Previous research from the team discovered 17 bacterial species whose presence in the human gut has a connection to endometrial cancer. Of the 17 microbes, one was most related to the two gynecologic cancers — Porphyromonas somerae.
The gut microbiome is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Many of the microbes assist the body, helping with digestion and maintaining overall health. Others are not so helpful and can worsen health or signal the onset of disease.
The current research involves finding specific microbes that are signs of potential endometrial and ovarian cancers. Identifying these disease markers would help develop home swab kits for women to test their cancer risk. Finding these microbial signatures could help doctors intervene sooner before the cancer can develop.
Porphyromonas somerae stood out amongst other bacterial species, especially since another close relative of this microbe has a link to oral cancer. The team hypothesized that Porphyromonas somerae may have a similar role in causing endometrial cancer. Several tests later revealed that the microbe can invade endometrial cells and change their function, especially when exposed to estrogen, a common risk factor for endometrial cancer.
Ovarian cancer research has linked a cluster of microbes to the reproductive health of women with the disease. The microbial makeup was important, and changes in the distribution of these species were associated with patient treatment outcomes. Identifying these microbial species could help as diagnostic markers and to predict treatment responses.
While endometrial and ovarian cancer can affect any woman, there is a greater risk for severe cases among Black women.
“Black women don’t have a higher incidence rate of endometrial cancer, but they have a higher mortality rate and morbidity rates. This is influenced by several factors, including limited access to healthcare. Symptoms frequently go unrecognized or are mistakenly attributed to other conditions, such as fibroids, which are common among Black women,” says Walther-Antonio.
Researchers are looking to recruit more Black women into these ongoing studies, especially those who are postmenopausal. Additionally, scientists from the Mayo Clinic hope to have participants willing to give samples every six months for the next three years, including vaginal swabs and environmental samples, to identify potential risk factors.