IVF and Breast Cancer Risk

For many years, studies have linked oestrogen and progestogen hormones to the risk of breast cancer.

This association is complex and includes both endogenous and exogenous hormones.

Recently researchers have raised the question about risks of breast cancer with IVF treatment as there are significant hormone manipulation during an IVF cycle.

Through this study researchers tracked over 25,000 women with a mean age of 33 years who underwent ovarian stimulation as part of their IVF management and followed them over 20 years.

The results have shown that the incidences of breast cancer were the same for the IVF group as for those not receiving IVF.

From this study it appears that IVF hormonal treatments do not affect a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

(van den Belt-Dusebout et al JAMA 2016; 316:300-12).