Sex differences in childhood cancer risk following ART conception: a registry-based study

Study question: Does the risk of childhood cancer following ARTs vary by sex?

Summary answer: In this registry-based study, some childhood cancers showed positive sex- and age-specific associations in children conceived using certain ART modalities, which were not evident in overall combined analyses.

What is known already: The relationship between ART and risk of childhood cancer has shown diverse outcomes in prior research. Studies examining whether there are sex differences in childhood cancer risk after ART conception are lacking.

Study design, size, duration: This registry-based cohort study included all children born in Norway between 1984 and 2022 (n = 2 255 025), followed until 31 December 2023.

Participants/materials, setting, methods: Children were identified via the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, and information was extracted on whether they were conceived via ART (defined as IVF/ICSI). Of the 2 255 025 children included in the study, 53 694 were ART-conceived. Birth records were linked to the Cancer Registry of Norway. Childhood cancer was defined as a cancer diagnosis according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer Third Edition (ICCC-3) before the age of 18 years. Cox regression models were used to estimate the age- and sex-specific risk of cancer for ART-conceived children compared to children not conceived via ART.

Main results and the role of chance: Among all children, 0.25% had a cancer diagnosis before the age of 18 years. The cumulative incidence of cancer was higher in children conceived by ART (IVF/ICSI) than in those not conceived via ART (21.5 vs 17.5 per 100 000 person-years, P = 0.04), and especially higher in boys conceived with ICSI or after cryopreserved embryo transfer. When combining all age groups, both sexes and all cancer types, there was little evidence of increased cancer risk with ART (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.13, 95% CI 0.94-1.36). However, differences were found when stratifying by age and sex. From age 5-9 years, ART-conceived children had a higher overall risk of cancer (aHR 1.53, 95% CI 1.06-2.20), with a slightly higher estimate in boys (aHR 1.73, 95% CI 1.09-2.74), than in girls (aHR 1.28, 95% CI 0.70-2.33). The risk was not higher up to age 5 years, or after age 10 years. In combined analyses, there was no overall increased risk after ICSI. When stratifying by sex, a higher risk was seen after ICSI for boys (aHR 1.69, 95% CI 1.18-2.42), but not for girls (aHR 0.65, 95% CI 0.37-1.16). The combined risk after cryopreservation (aHR 1.42, 95% CI 0.95-2.13) was driven by a higher risk in boys (aHR 1.79, 95% CI 1.09-2.94), while no evidence of an association was found in girls (aHR 1.01, 95% CI 0.50-2.03). No increased risk was seen with IVF or after fresh transfer for either boys or girls.

Limitations, reasons for caution: Childhood cancer is a rare outcome, and some analyses of cancer subtypes were likely underpowered.

Wider implications of the findings: Results from this large registry-based study suggest that addressing age- and sex-specific differences in the risk of childhood cancer following ART conception reveals increased risks for certain groups. Our findings require further study with consideration of possible underlying sex-specific mechanisms related to ART and different childhood cancers.

Study funding/competing interest(s): This work was funded by: the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence Funding Scheme (project number 262700); the Norwegian Cancer Association (project number 244291); and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The funding agencies had no role in the conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Trial registration number: N/A.