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Fertility drugs and ovarian cancer risk: a critical review of the literature
Author(s) -
Vlahos Nikos F.,
Economopoulos Konstantinos P.,
Creatsas George
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05668.x
Subject(s) - ovarian cancer , infertility , medicine , confounding , fertility , oncology , gynecology , malignancy , cancer , in vitro fertilisation , pregnancy , biology , population , environmental health , genetics
There is evidence that medications used for ovarian stimulation and in vitro fertilization may be associated with ovarian cancer. In this review, we attempt to describe this relationship according to the most recent epidemiologic data and to present the possible mechanisms on the molecular level that could potentially explain this correlation. Currently there is no proven relationship between any type of ovarian cancer and drugs used for infertility treatment. Overall, infertile women have increased risk for ovarian malignancies. Nulligravidas that received treatment are at increased risk for ovarian malignancy as compared to women that conceived after treatment. More studies with the appropriate statistical power and follow‐up time, as well as with better adjustment for confounding factors, which coexist in infertile patients, are required to evaluate accurately the long‐term effects of these drugs and procedures.