Ovarian Cancer Risk in Relation to Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides

The association between circulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels and ovarian cancer risk remains unclear.

We prospectively evaluated the association between cholesterol [total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C)] and triglycerides and ovarian cancer incidence in a case-control study nested in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII cohorts and a longitudinal analysis in the UK Biobank.

A total of 290 epithelial ovarian cancer cases in the NHS/NHSII and 551 cases in UK Biobank were diagnosed after blood collection. We observed a reduced ovarian cancer risk comparing the top to bottom quartile of total cholesterol [meta-analysis relative risk (95% confidence interval): 0.81 (0.65-1.01), P _trend 0.06], with no heterogeneity across studies (P _{heterogeneity} = 0.74). Overall, no clear patterns were observed for HDL-C, LDL-C, or triglycerides and ovarian cancer risk. Comparing triglyceride levels at clinically relevant cut-off points (>200 vs. ≤200 mg/dL) for cases diagnosed more than 2 years after blood draw saw a positive relationship with risk [1.57 (1.03-2.42); P _{heterogeneity} = 0.003]. Results were similar by serous/non-serous histotype, menopausal status/hormone use, and body mass index.

Data from two large cohorts in the United States and United Kingdom suggest that total cholesterol levels may be inversely associated with ovarian cancer risk, while triglycerides may be positively associated with risk when assessed at least 2 years before diagnosis, albeit both associations were modest.

This analysis of two large prospective studies suggests that circulating lipid levels are not strongly associated with ovarian cancer risk. The positive triglyceride-ovarian cancer association warrants further evaluation.