Fertility drug use and the risk of ovarian tumors in infertile women: A case-control study

Objective: To assess the influence of infertility and fertility drugs on risk of ovarian tumors. Design: Case-control study (Mayo Clinic Ovarian Cancer Study). Setting: Ongoing academic study of ovarian cancer. Patient(s): A total of 1,900 women (1,028 with ovarian tumors and 872 controls, frequency matched on age and region of residence) who had provided complete information in a self-report questionnaire about history of infertility and fertility drug use. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Effect of infertility history, use of fertility drugs and oral contraception, and gravidity on the risk of ovarian tumor development, after controlling for potential confounders. Result(s): Among women who had a history of infertility, use of fertility drugs was reported by 44 (24%) of 182 controls and 38 (17%) of 226 cases. Infertile women who used fertility drugs were not at increased risk of developing ovarian tumors compared with infertile women who did not use fertility drugs; the adjusted odds ratio was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.37, 1.11). The findings were similar when stratified by gravidity and when analyzed separately for borderline versus invasive tumors. Conclusion(s): We found no statistically significant association between fertility drug use and risk of ovarian tumors. Further larger, prospective studies are needed to confirm this observation.