Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Apr 2022
Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and its relationship with increased human epididymal secretory protein 4.
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, and its early detection is important for prognosis. Human epididymal secretory protein 4 (HE4) elevation has been studied as a crucial biomarker for this type of cancer. There are currently many organic pollutants in the environ-ment, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). ⋯ Exposure to PAHs was found to be associated with elevated HE4 levels and a higher risk for ovarian cancer, which was confirmed by epidemiological evidence. This finding should alert gynecologists and public health experts to pay more attention to the potential role of PAH metabolites in the tumorigenesis of ovarian cancer.