The study highlights the need for better metabolic health and suggests more vigilant screening and targeted interventions for at-risk women.
Published Oct 22, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 22, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Cancer.
Synopsis: The study highlights the public health importance: women with metabolic syndrome should not only focus on diabetes or heart health, but also consider regular cancer screenings and preventive lifestyle interventions.
Women with metabolic syndrome face a markedly higher risk of gynaecologic cancers, especially endometrial, ovarian, and cervical, according to a 2025 systematic review.
Analysing 25 studies worldwide, the research shows that obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia (abnormal lipids) not only raise cardiovascular and diabetes risk but also create conditions that promote gynaecologic cancers.
The study highlights the need for better metabolic health and suggests more vigilant screening and targeted interventions for at-risk women.
The systematic review included 25 studies across the globe, combining data from cross-sectional, case-control, and cohort studies. The study concluded that “women with metabolic syndrome are associated with increased risk of gynaecological cancers regardless of study design, type of gynaecological cancer, and definitions of metabolic syndrome.”
Put simply, regardless of the study design or setting, metabolic syndrome was consistently linked to an increased risk of gynaecologic cancers.
Endometrial cancer was the most affected. Women with metabolic syndrome were found to be about 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women without it.
This means that if a woman with a healthy metabolism has a baseline risk of developing endometrial cancer, a woman with metabolic syndrome has roughly double that risk.
The study explains this heightened risk as being caused by high insulin levels, obesity-driven hormonal changes, and chronic inflammation, all of which create an environment where endometrial cells are more likely to grow uncontrollably.
Ovarian cancer showed a moderate increase in risk. Some studies suggested women with metabolic syndrome could be 2–3 times more likely to develop ovarian cancer, while others found little to no increase.
This indicates that the effect of metabolic syndrome on ovarian cancer is less consistent, possibly influenced by other factors like genetics, age, and lifestyle.
Mechanistically, insulin and hormone imbalances can still promote ovarian cell growth, but the impact is not as strong as it is on the endometrium.
Cervical cancer had only a small increase in risk, with women showing a slightly higher chance compared to those without metabolic syndrome. This suggests that while metabolic syndrome may contribute to cervical cancer, other factors, like HPV infection, play a much larger role.
The study emphasizes that “the elevated risk of gynaecological cancers in women with metabolic syndrome could be explained based on the interlinked pathophysiologies of the diseases.”
In essence, insulin resistance, hormonal shifts, and inflammation not only impair heart and glucose function but also heighten cancer vulnerability in reproductive tissues, most notably the endometrium.
Finally, the study highlights the public health importance: women with metabolic syndrome should not only focus on diabetes or heart health, but also consider regular cancer screenings and preventive lifestyle interventions.
The findings suggest that improving metabolic health—through weight management, diet, exercise, or medications—could also reduce the likelihood of developing gynaecologic cancers.
At the heart of the connection between metabolic syndrome and gynaecologic cancers lies a complex interplay of hormones and growth signals.
Elevated body mass index, often seen in metabolic syndrome, disrupts the delicate hormonal balance in women, particularly increasing estrogen levels.
According to Dr Sreeja Rani, Sr. Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Bengaluru, the endometrial lining becomes the prime target in this hormonal storm.
“High insulin levels trigger the production of insulin-like growth factors, which cause abnormal proliferation of the uterine lining,” she explained to South First. This prolonged stimulation not only thickens the endometrium but can eventually tip the balance toward malignancy.
The cyclical nature of endometrial tissue growth further heightens its vulnerability. While ovarian and cervical tissues remain largely stable, the endometrium grows and sheds every month.
“Because it’s a constantly renewing tissue, it’s more sensitive to growth-promoting hormones and factors,” Dr Rani noted. This continuous cycle of growth makes the endometrium more prone to cancerous transformation compared to other reproductive tissues.
Clinically, she emphasized the importance of vigilance. Women presenting with heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding should be evaluated early.
“An endometrial biopsy is a simple but crucial screening step to rule out hyperplasia , a precancerous condition,” she said.
For those with absent periods over several months, inducing withdrawal bleeding with progesterone can help maintain hormonal balance and reduce cancer risk.
Weight management, dietary control, regular exercise, and medications to address metabolic imbalances remain the cornerstone of prevention.
Beyond the clinical setting, Dr Rani highlighted a deeper issue: Awareness and attitude toward women’s health. She described a pattern she encounters all too often:
Women dismissing prolonged symptoms, normalizing discomfort, and prioritizing family health over their own.
“In India, any woman’s health issue is often not taken seriously , even by the woman herself,” she observed. Heavy bleeding or irregular periods are brushed aside until they lead to severe anaemia or fatigue.
“I’ve seen women living with heavy menstrual bleeding for two years, only coming to the hospital when they can no longer manage daily activities,” she shared.
This delay, she warned, undermines early detection and timely intervention. Lack of awareness, social hesitation, and misplaced tolerance toward symptoms all contribute to late-stage diagnosis.
Dr Rani believes that shifting this mindset is as vital as medical management. Promoting awareness about the link between metabolic health and reproductive cancers, she suggested, must become a public health priority, not just among clinicians, but across communities.
(Edited by Sumavarsha)
