Risk Of Borderline Ovarian Tumors Research Articles

Association between fertility drugs and gynecologic cancers, breast cancer, and childhood cancers

Ovulation-inducing drugs have been widely used for various types of infertility since the beginning of 1960s and their use increases day by day parallel to the success achieved in fertility treatment. However, the researches performed in the last two decades have begun to discuss about the safety of these drugs and the risks associated with their use. Especially, the potential neoplastic effects of these drugs are increasingly questioned. The studies have discussed whether there is an association between the exposure to ovulation-inducing drugs and the incidence of various cancers. Moreover, several studies have been performed to reveal whether there is an increased risk of childhood cancers in children conceived after fertility treatment. The point we reached through the available data is that the risk of breast, uterine and invasive ovarian cancers is not increased, but the risk of borderline ovarian tumors might increase after such a therapy. The risk of cancer has been found similar for children conceived after fertility treatment and those conceived naturally. It should also be kept in mind that cancers are overdiagnosed in infertile women population because of the close medical surveillance, which may also contribute to the early detection of cancers. Although it is still early to state the last words on this topic, the possible association should be addressed when obtaining an informed consent before starting treatment.

Risk Factors for Epithelial Borderline Ovarian Tumors: Results of a Swedish Case–Control Study

Objective. Borderline ovarian tumors have a favorable prognosis. Previous epidemiological studies indicate common risk factors for invasive epithelial ovarian cancers and borderline tumors, but it remains unresolved whether these tumors are precursors of invasive cancers or a separate disease entity. The objective of this population-based case–control study conducted in 1993–1995 was to examine reproductive and other factors in relation to the risk of borderline ovarian tumors.Methods. Subjects were 193 histologically verified incident epithelial borderline tumor cases and 3899 randomly selected controls aged 50–74 years, whose data were collected through mailed questionnaires. Risk estimates were calculated by unconditional logistic regression.Results. Ever parous women were at reduced risk, with odds ratios of 0.44 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26–0.75) for serous and 0.63 (95% CI 0.34–1.19) for mucinous tumors. No clear trends emerged for age at first birth, at menarche, and at menopause. Lactation reduced tumor risk. Oral contraceptive ever use conferred no protection, with odds ratios of 1.40 (95% CI 0.87–2.26) for serous and 1.04 (95% CI 0.61–1.79) for mucinous tumors. The odds ratio for serous tumors following unopposed estrogen ever use was 2.07 (95% CI 1.08–3.95), whereas no risk increase appeared with estrogens supplemented by cyclic or continuous progestins. Mucinous tumors were not associated with hormone replacement therapy. The odds ratio for serous tumors in the highest category of body mass index was 6.47 (95% CI 3.09–13.5).Conclusions. Increasing parity and lactation reduce the risk of borderline ovarian tumors in women aged 50–74, while no protection follows oral contraceptive use. Hormonal situations such as unopposed estrogen use and obesity, where estrogens are not counteracted by progestins, may increase the risk of serous tumors.

Risk Factors for Epithelial Ovarian Tumours of Borderline Malignancy

A case-control study was conducted on 91 cases with histologically-confirmed borderline ovarian tumours and 237 control subjects in hospital for acute non-gynaecological, hormonal or neoplastic disease. Women reporting three or more births, compared to nulliparae, had a relative risk (RR) estimate of 0.6, but this finding was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2-1.4). The risk of borderline tumours increased, although not significantly, with later age at first birth: compared to women reporting first birth at age 24 or before, the RRs were 1.3 and 1.7 in those reporting respectively their first birth at age 25-29 and 30 years or more. No significant relationship emerged between borderline ovarian cancer and age at menarche, menopausal status and lifelong menstrual pattern. Cases tended to report a later age at menopause than controls, but the trend in risk was not statistically significant. Nine cases (9.9%) and 68 controls (24.9%) reported oral contraceptive use: compared with never users the multivariate RR for ever users was 0.3, and the risk dropped with duration of use to 0.2 in users for two years or more (chi 2 (1) trend = 12.70, p less than 0.001). This study provides epidemiological evidence of a pathogenetic continuum between borderline and invasive ovarian tumours.

A case-control study of borderline ovarian tumors: the influence of perineal exposure to talc.

The authors interviewed 116 female residents of western Washington State with serous and mucinous borderline ovarian tumors diagnosed between 1980 and 1985 and questioned them on their use of hygienic powders. A sample of 158 control women from the same counties were identified through random digit dialing and were interviewed as well. Neither the perineal application of baby powder nor the perineal application of cornstarch was associated with an appreciably altered risk of borderline ovarian tumors. However, women who used deodorizing powders alone or in combination with other talc-containing powders had 2.8 times the risk (95% confidence interval 1.1-11.7) of women who had not had perineal exposure to powder. These results suggest that future studies of ovarian tumors in relation to the application of talc-containing powders should consider ascertaining the specific type(s) of powder used.