In general, I say NO, but there is more to it.
Females with INFERTILITY have a general INCREASED risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers at baseline. This is due to the fact that most women with infertility delay childbearing, have fewer pregnancies, and may have other conditions associated with an increased risk of cancer, such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Below is a summary collected from many different studies that assessed the risks of fertility treatment on various types of caner.
NO increased risk of the following cancers with FERTILITY Treatments:
🔻 INVASIVE THYROID CANCER
🔻 MELANOMA
🔻 COLON CANCER
🔻 LYMPHOMA
🔻 INVASIVE BREAST CANCER
🔻 INVASIVE OVARIAN CANCER
🔻 ENDOMETRIAL CANCER
🔻 CERVICAL CANCER.
MAY be a link of FERTILITY treatments and an increased risk of the following:
🔸 BORDERLINE OVARIAN TUMORS
🔸 IN SITU BREAST CANCER.
What we don’t know about (hasn’t been well studied) is the risk FERTILITY treatments and the following:
🔹 LUNG CANCER
🔹 BLADDER CANCER.
Some cancers are hormonally responsive. Therefore, if you have an UNDIAGNOSED cancer, such as breast cancer, then some fertility treatments can increase the growth of tumor cells, causing a change in prognosis. This is why it is important that women undergo screening for breast cancer regularly, and particularly before starting fertility treatments. In fact, some centers will require a mammogram or other form of screening in women aged 40 or older prior to being able to start fertilty hormones or treatment.
In general, if you are healthy, have routine physical examinations and do not have a strong family or personal history of cancers, then fertility treatments are SAFE and do not necessarily increase your risk of cancer.
I am a board-certified Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility physician and Ob/Gyn who has been treating infertility patients since 2014. I have a boutique private practice in Orange County, and focus on providing patients with the most personalized approach to fertility care.
After graduating cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Irvine, I received my medical degree from University of South Alabama, College of Medicine where I graduated in the top of her class.
I then completed my residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California. There I received tremendous experience in all facets of Obstetrics and Gynecology, but specifically had an interest in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. I continued my medical training and pursued a subspecialty in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School.
After my fellowship, I moved back to my hometown in Orange County and practiced at Kaiser Permanente in Orange County, as well as Eden Centers for Advanced Fertility in Newport Beach.
But I was passionate about providing my patients with the most personalized approach to fertility services and treatments, and therefore I opened up my own practice in 2020. My practice mission is to ensure patients feel comfortable and cared for, since infertility treatments can be overwhelming.