Did you know that some cancers are linked to oestrogen? If not, you aren’t alone. Our YouGov survey for Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month found that only one in five people know about the link between womb cancer and oestrogen and less than a third are aware of its link with ovarian cancer.

Oestrogen is one of the main female sex hormones, it is very important in puberty, menstruation and pregnancy. Levels fluctuate through the monthly cycle and fall as we go through the menopause.  

Oestrogen helps grow cells in the womb (uterine/endometrial) lining each month, to replace what was lost during the last period and create the right environment for a fertilised egg to implant. It is also the ‘feel-good’ hormone; it helps with our skin elasticity and dryness, it improves brain function, is beneficial for heart, bone, gut and colon health, and helps to regulate body temperature. 

Our survey also found a lack of knowledge about where our hormones are produced in the body, with over a third of people not knowing where oestrogen is made, and just over 40% aware that oestrogen is produced in the ovaries. Only 3% of people were aware that some oestrogen (although small levels) is produced in fat cells, which is why obesity increases the risk of womb cancer. 

The job of an ovary is to produce hormones (oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) and release eggs. This is all part of our monthly cycle that we go through between puberty and the menopause. Other hormones that the ovaries make that are important in women and people with gynae organs are: 

Progesterone- stabilises the growth of the womb lining (in other words keeps an eye on what oestrogen is up to) and creates the right environment for a fertilised egg to implant. If implantation doesn’t happen, progesterone levels drop, and the thickened womb lining sheds, which is what we know as our period.  

Testosterone- is essential for sexual function, bone strength, a healthy heart, thinking and energy levels. Testosterone is often thought of as a ‘male sex hormone’ as men and people with penises produce it in much higher levels, but it is also essential for women and people with gynae organs.  

As we grow older, our ovaries produce less and less of these hormones, and release eggs less frequently, causing menopausal symptoms and irregular periods, until eventually, the menopause is reached. After the menopause, when the ovaries are no longer producing oestrogen, fat cells become the biggest producers of this hormone. 

Oestrogen that isn’t balanced by progesterone (e.g. if someone is overweight or taking oestrogen-only HRT) leads to excess or ‘unopposed’ oestrogen which can increase the risk of these cancers. Without progesterone to stabilise growth in the womb lining, unopposed oestrogen can cause the cells to grow uncontrollably, and during the increased division and growth of cells (because not enough progesterone is present to control this) mutations can occur. This means that the cells have changed in an abnormal way and become precancerous. Precancer understandably might sound scary, but the ‘pre’ part is the thing to focus on. It doesn’t mean that there is cancer, but that the abnormal cells could lead to cancer if left untreated. 

Health conditions that increase the levels of oestrogen in the body, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity can increase the risk of certain oestrogen dependent cancers. For example, obesity increases the risk of womb cancer by 10 times, and PCOS increases the risk by 2.8 times.  

Understanding your body and cancer risk can help you know what is normal for you, spot symptoms and get them checked by a doctor, and where possible, potentially take measures to reduce this risk. 

All through September we will be sharing key information on hormones and their impact on cancer risk on our social media channels, we will also be talking about the menopause and HRT in more detail. So take the opportunity of Gynae Cancer Awareness Month to learn a little more about your body and follow us @eveappeal.