Fertility drug use and risk of ovarian tumors: a debated clinical challenge.
Summary of "Fertility drug use and risk of ovarian tumors: a debated clinical challenge."
Infertility itself increases the incidence of ovarian carcinoma, while the potential additional risk associated with the use of fertility drugs is still debated. In 1992, the cumulative analysis of 12 US case-control studies revealed that women who received ovulation-inducing drugs had approximately three-fold higher incidence of invasive ovarian carcinoma. Other investigations reported a lower increase of the risk of invasive carcinoma or borderline tumor of the ovary in women treated with these agents. Conversely, several other case-control or cohort studies failed to detect a significant correlation between fertility drug use and ovarian tumor risk in either parous or nulliparous women compared with untreated infertile women. Moreover neither the number of treatment cycles nor the type of drug used was associated with an increased risk in most studies. Incessant ovulation and excessive gonadotropin secretion have been long considered to play a major role in the development of ovarian carcinoma, and therefore fertility drugs, which raise the serum levels of gonadotropins and increase the chances of multiple ovulations, have been retained as a risk factor for this malignancy, However, the large majority of literature data as well as the new hypotheses on ovarian carcinogenesis appear to exclude a relevant impact of fertility drug use on the risk of ovarian tumors, and especially of high-grade invasive epithelial ovarian cancers.
Affiliation
Department of Procreative Medicine, Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology
ISSN: 1473-0766
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22946709
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09513590.2012.705382
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Risk-taking
Undertaking a task involving a challenge for achievement or a desirable goal in which there is a lack of certainty or a fear of failure. It may also include the exhibiting of certain behaviors whose outcomes may present a risk to the individual or to those associated with him or her.
Pharmacoepidemiology
The science concerned with the benefit and risk of drugs used in populations and the analysis of the outcomes of drug therapies. Pharmacoepidemiologic data come from both clinical trials and epidemiological studies with emphasis on methods for the detection and evaluation of drug-related adverse effects, assessment of risk vs benefit ratios in drug therapy, patterns of drug utilization, the cost-effectiveness of specific drugs, methodology of postmarketing surveillance, and the relation between pharmacoepidemiology and the formulation and interpretation of regulatory guidelines. (Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 1992;1(1); J Pharmacoepidemiol 1990;1(1))
Safety-based Drug Withdrawals
Removal of a drug from the market due to the identification of an intrinsic property of the drug that results in a serious risk to public health.
Drug Approval
Process that is gone through in order for a drug to receive approval by a government regulatory agency. This includes any required pre-clinical or clinical testing, review, submission, and evaluation of the applications and test results, and post-marketing surveillance of the drug.
Fertility Agents
Drugs used to increase fertility or to treat infertility.
PubMed Articles
Fertility in women after surgical treatment of nonepithelial ovarian tumors.
Conservative treatment is an acceptable option for women with nonepithelial ovarian tumors who wish to preserve fertility.
Pelvic inflammatory disease and risk of invasive ovarian cancer and ovarian borderline tumors.
PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine the potential association between a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer or ovarian borderline tumors. METHOD...
This study examined the possible presence of malignant cells in ovarian cortex from patients with ovarian tumors after xenografting of the ovarian tissue into severe combined immunodeficiency mice. No...
Fertility preservation in women with ovarian endometriosis.
Endometriosis is one of the most frequently encountered benign diseases in gynecology. Complete resolution of endometriosis is not yet possible, but therapy has essentially three main objectives: (1)...
This pilot study evaluated whether combination of partial removal of ovarian tissue for cryobanking followed by ovarian stimulation and cryopreservation of oocytes can improve the efficacy of fertilit...
Clinical Trials
Ovarian Tissue Freezing For Fertility Preservation
The purpose of this study is to offer an alternative method to women who wish to preserve the possibility of fertility, as well as to learn more about the ability of human eggs to survive...
Attitudes About Childbearing And Fertility With Inherited Breast And Ovarian Cancer Syndromes (HBOC)
Objectives: - To evaluate the attitudes and opinions of women undergoing genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, both before and after testing, in regards to...
The purpose of this study is to ask youn women diagnosed with ovarian cancer who have undergone surgery that will allow them to have children in the future, on issues such as: education ab...
Fertility Preservation by Ovarian and Oocyte Cryopreservation
Success rates of cancer treatment have increased significantly resulting in many girls and young women who are treated now and will be cancer survivors. Nevertheless, cancer treatment may...
Clinical Trial to Screen Participants Who Are at High Genetic Risk for Ovarian Cancer
RATIONALE: Screening tests may help doctors detect cancer cells early and plan more effective treatment for ovarian cancer. PURPOSE: Screening trial to determine the significance of CA 12...
