Researchers at Yongin Severance Hospital said Wednesday that women diagnosed with endometriosis are 34 percent more likely to develop cancer.

The research team, led by Professor Eoh Kyung-jin of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that women who had endometriosis had a 4.59 times higher prevalence of cervical cancer, 2.51 times higher risk of ovarian cancer, and 1.84 times higher risk of cervical cancer.

These women also had 1.44 times higher risk of breast cancer and 1.34 times higher risk of thyroid cancer.

Endometriosis is a relatively common disease in about 10 to 15 percent of women of childbearing age. However, it has been reported that endometriosis may be related to cancer as the two diseases share similar characteristics, including invasion, metastasis, and recurrence.

The research team conducted the study based on the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data.

The study targeted 179,865 patients diagnosed with endometriosis between 2010 and 2013 and the control group of 87,408 who had their appendix removed.  Researchers then improved the study's accuracy by correcting the cancer incidence data based on age, insurance type, and comorbid disease and compared the degree of cancer incidence.

"Women who have been diagnosed with endometriosis had better start receiving cancer screening early, as our study showed that they have a higher chance of developing cancer," Professor Eoh said. "We recommend these women prioritize tests for common female cancers, including cervical cancer."

The study results will be published in the April issue of Gynecologic Oncology.