Breast cancer incidence after hormonal infertility treatment in Sweden: a cohort study
Journal article, 2009

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of infertility treatment with causes of infertility on incidence of breast cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Historical prospective cohort study of 1135 women attending major university clinics for treatment of infertility in Sweden, 1961-1976. Women were classified as users of clomiphene citrate or gonadotropins, or a combination of both therapies. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated to estimate relative risk of breast cancer. RESULTS: We observed 54 cases of breast cancer during 1961-2004, which did not significantly exceed those expected. Users of high-dose clomiphene citrate had an almost 2-fold increased risk (standardized incidence ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.35). This association was more pronounced among women referred for nonovulatory factors, with 3-fold increased risk (standardized incidence ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-6.67). CONCLUSION: No overall increased risk for breast cancer was shown with infertility treatment. Women with nonovulatory causes treated with high-dose clomiphene citrate therapy may have an elevated risk for breast cancer.

Incidence

Breast Neoplasms/*chemically induced/epidemiology

carcinogenesis

Female

Female/*adverse effects/therapeutic use

Clomiphene/*adverse effects/therapeutic use

Prospective Studies

Female/*drug therapy

Sweden/epidemiology

Infertility

Fertility Agents

ovulation induction

therapy

pregnancy

estrogens

Adult

Humans

Cohort Studies

risk

health

Chorionic Gonadotropin/*adverse effects/therapeutic use

prevention

fertility drugs

postmenopausal women

Author

C Orgeas

Karin Sanner

Per Hall

Peter Conner

Jan Holte

Staffan Nilsson

Karin Sundfeldt

University of Gothenburg

Ingemar Persson

Kee Seng Chia

Sara Wedren

Paul Dickman

Kamilla Czene

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

0002-9378 (ISSN) 1097-6868 (eISSN)

Vol. 200 1 72 e1-7

Subject Categories

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.ajog.2008.08.066

More information

Created

10/10/2017