PCOS and obesity: insulin resistance might be a common etiology for the development of type I endometrial carcinoma

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecological malignancy in women and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Estrogenic stimulation significantly increases endometrial cell proliferation, and both insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are associated with the development of EC in women. It has long been known that insulin resistance occurs in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and/or obesity, but one important unanswered question is whether the insulin resistance associated with PCOS and obesity is part of the etiology of the initiation and development of EC. Therefore, research efforts to understand the common and specific underlying endometrial responses to insulin resistance in women with PCOS and obesity could provide further therapeutic options for early endometrial carcinoma.