Can postmenopausal ovarian atrophy lead to cancer?

Ovarian atrophy after menopause may also lead to cancer, but not all women will get cancer.

As women age after menopause, their ovaries gradually shrink and may also become cancerous. Ovarian cancer develops relatively slowly and will not develop into a symptomatic tumor until it reaches a certain stage. As women age, their immunity decreases and their ability to eliminate abnormal cells decreases, which may lead to cancer. The period before and after menopause is a high-incidence age for ovarian cancer. When ovarian cancer occurs, there are usually no conscious symptoms in the early stages. Even if symptoms occur, they are non-specific and may include mild gastrointestinal discomfort. However, not all women with postmenopausal ovarian atrophy will develop cancer, and there is no need to worry too much.

Therefore, women with postmenopausal ovarian atrophy should pay attention to regular checkups and have a physical examination once a year. If abdominal pain, bloating, or irregular vaginal bleeding or discharge occurs, it is necessary to be alert to the possibility of ovarian cancer and complete relevant examinations, such as color Doppler ultrasound of the uterus and appendages, pelvic CT, etc., to detect and treat it as early as possible.