title: Melanoma, thyroid, cervical, and colon cancer risk after use of fertility drugs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to evaluate melanoma, thyroid, colon, and cervical cancer risks after clomiphene or gonadotropins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort of 8422 women (155,527 women-years) evaluated for infertility (1965-1988). Through 1999, cancers were ascertained by questionnaire, cancer and death registries. Poisson regression estimated adjusted rate ratios (RRs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clomiphene use did not significantly increase risk of melanoma (RR=1.66; 95% CI, 0.9-3.1), thyroid (RR=1.42; 95% CI, 0.5-3.7), cervical (RR=1.61; 95% CI, 0.5-4.7), or colon cancer (RR=0.83; 95% CI, 0.4-1.9). We found no relationship between clomiphene dose or cycles of use and cancer risk at any site. Clomiphene use may impart stronger effects on risks of melanoma (RR=2.00; 95% CI, 0.9-4.6) and thyroid cancer among women who remained nulliparous (RR=4.23; 95% CI, 1.0-17.1). Gonadotropins did not increase cancer risk for these sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fertility drugs do not appear to have strong effects on these cancers. Nonetheless, follow-up should be pursued to assess long-term risks and to monitor effects among women who remain nulliparous.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Althuis
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scoccia
authors.forename: Emmet J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Kamran S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Moghissi
authors.forename: Carolyn L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Westhoff
authors.forename: Jerome E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mabie
authors.forename: Louise A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Brinton
mesh_terms: D002996:Clomiphene / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008545:Melanoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D006062:Gonadotropins; D002996:Clomiphene