These studies suggest the risk may be greatest in exposed women who do not become pregnant, and in those women who utilized clomiphene citrate for greater than 12 months. It must be emphasized that this data is preliminary and these conclusions are tentative. At the present, uncertainty makes it difficult to balance the risks and benefits of medications that enhance fertility. To address this problem, it is useful to put into perspective the likely magnitude of the risk of ovarian cancer associated with such treatment. If ovulation induction medications induce ovarian cancer, the risk appears to be about 2 to 3 times that of the general population.
Ovarian cancer is an uncommon disease.
It is our recommendation that all women who are considering the use of ovulation inducing medications should be appraised of possible adverse effects of taking these medications. In addition, it seems prudent to minimize exposure to these medications by carefully considering the reasons for their usage and not continuing the medication for any longer period of time than one can expect to obtain benefit from them. It is for this reason each couple and their physician must consider the appropriateness of the use of ovulation inducing medication, in their individual situation. Once a decision has been made to utilize a given medication, limited lengths of therapy will be decided upon, at which time you will again meet in consultation with your physician to reevaluate the appropriateness of its continued use. Typically patients will not be treated for more than 4 to 6 cycles without a follow-up consultation with the physician and a complete case review.