Ovarian cancer after successful ovulation induction: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Questions have been raised regarding the potential association of ovulation-inducing drugs and ovarian cancer. Worldwide there have been 13 cases of ovarian carcinoma reported to occur in women previously treated with ovulation-inducing drugs (clomiphene citrate and/or gonadotropins).


METHODS
A 40-year-old woman complained of secondary infertility. She conceived after five cycles of human menopausal gonadotropins with intrauterine insemination. Eight months after cesarean delivery, she presented with right lower quadrant pain and a right adnexal mass. At exploratory laparotomy the patient was found to have a poorly differentiated papillary serous carcinoma of the ovary.


CONCLUSIONS
Ovarian carcinoma developed within 18 months of exposure to ovulation-inducing agents, human menopausal gonadotropins. It would be prudent to gather a registry of cases to assess the risk associated with human menopausal gonadotropins with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs.
Hull
M E
ME
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA.
Kriner
M
M
Schneider
E
E
Maiman
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D002996:Clomiphene