Fertility drugs do NOT increase cancer risk, study finds

At Viera Fertility center, we meet with families longing for a dream. And at the point when treatment seems necessary, our patients often have questions about the long-term impact of fertility drugs and treatment. A new study has found that women taking a common fertility drug did not experience greater risk of cancer.

Women who took clomiphene citrate (brand name Clomid) or gonadotropins as a part of fertility treatment did not experience an increased risk for breast cancer over 30 years of follow-up, compared with women who were not treated with these medications, according to a study. This study was conducted using data from a cohort of more than 12,000 women evaluated for infertility between 1965 and 1988 at five different locations in the United States that retained detailed records of infertility evaluations and treatments.

Cancer detection and prevention is important for all women regardless of fertility drug treatment history. We are happy to report, however, that the standard treatments for infertility do not appear to pose any additional risk of cancer for fertility patients. If you’re interested in safely pursuing your dreams of a family, contact your Melbourne IVF resource at Viera Fertility Center today.

Reference:

L. A. Brinton, B. Scoccia, K. S. Moghissi, C. L. Westhoff, S. Niwa, D. Ruggieri, B. Trabert, E. J. Lamb. Long-term Relationship of Ovulation-Stimulating Drugs to Breast Cancer Risk. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 2014; 23 (4): 584 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0996