Objective: To evaluate the relationship between use of fertility medication (i.e., selective estrogen receptor [ER] modulator, gonadotropin, or other) or infertility treatment (i.e., IVF or IUI) and the risk of ovarian cancer among women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
Design: A matched case-control study of 941 pairs of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers with and without a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Setting: Genetic clinics.
Patient(s): Detailed information regarding treatment of infertility was collected from a routinely administered questionnaire.
Intervention(s): None.
Main outcome measure(s): Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals associated with fertility treatment.
Result(s): There was no significant relationship between the use of any fertility medication or IVF treatment (odds ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval 0.18-2.33) and the subsequent risk of ovarian cancer.
Conclusion(s): Our findings suggest that treatment for infertility does not significantly increase the risk of ovarian cancer among women with a BRCA mutation.
Keywords: BRCA1; BRCA2; infertility; in vitro fertilization; ovarian cancer.
Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. All rights reserved.