Potential effects of fertility treatments on breast density and cancer risk

Infertility and hormonal fertility treatments may influence the amount of dense tissue in the breast, a risk factor for breast cancer, according to a study involving 43,313 women, published in the open access journal Breast Cancer Research.

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden found that women with a history of infertility had denser breasts than other women. The association was more pronounced in women who had undergone controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), the hormone treatment required for in vitro fertilization. While this may indicate a potential adverse effect of COS on breast density, the researchers point out that the effect may be due to the underlying infertility that motivates the use of a specific treatment, rather than to the treatment itself.

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Notes to editor:
1. Association of infertility and fertility treatment with mammographic density in a large screening-based cohort of women: a cross-sectional study
Frida E. Lundberg, Anna L. V. Johansson, Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg, Judith S. Brand, Kamila Czene, Per Hall and Anastasia N. Iliadou
Breast Cancer Research 2016
DOI: 10.1186/s13058-016-0693-5

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2. Breast Cancer Research is an international, peer-reviewed online journal, publishing original research, reviews, editorials and reports. Open access research articles of exceptional interest are published in all areas of biology and medicine relevant to breast cancer, including normal mammary gland biology, with special emphasis on the genetic, biochemical, and cellular basis of breast cancer. In addition to basic research, the journal publishes preclinical, translational and clinical studies with a biological basis, including Phase I and Phase II trials.

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