title: Protective Effect of Progesterone during Pregnancy against Ovarian Cancer.
abstract: There have been several epidemiologic studies supporting the protective role of pregnancy, although the mechanism is not clear. High level of progesterone, which is crucial in maintaining pregnancy, has been supposed to be one of the causative factors. Progesterone is produced at the corpus luteum in the early pregnancy and the placenta in the late pregnancy period. In several experimental studies, progesterone was reported to induce apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. In addition, progesterone has been shown to exert its anticancer effect through genomic and non-genomic action. The objective of this review is to discuss the protective mechanism of pregnancy against ovarian cancer focusing on the steroid hormone, progesterone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Mi-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hee Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Hyun Hoon
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine ; Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine ; Major in Biomodulation, World Class University, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Song
keywords: Hormone; Ovarian neoplasm; Pregnancy; Progesterone; Steroids