Are there precursor lesions for ovarian cancer: A review

Precancer is a very early noninvasive lesion that has genetic abnormalities, loss of cellular control functions, some phenotypic characteristics of invasive cancer, and predicts a significant likelihood of developing invasive cancer. Currently, there is no consensus on the existence of ovarian cancer precursor lesions, though many dysplasias in the ovary have been found to date. Our inability to detect precancer in the ovary has hampered early detection efforts. After review of current literature, inclusion cysts, deep surface invaginations and papillomatosis, commonly referred to as “putative ovarian precancer lesions” appear to correlate with known genetic alterations found in the advanced disease in predisposed cohorts. Although we suggest that screening for these lesions would underestimate the ovarian cancer risk in general population, data on chemoprevention studies offers new hope for combating this deadly disease.