Investigating the relationship between breast and gynecological cancers and infertility and its treatments: a case-control study

Objective Due to the high prevalence of breast and gynecological cancers among women and their impact on all life aspects of the patients and the high economic and social burden on society, it is crucial to identify the risk factors of these cancers. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between breast and gynecological cancers and infertility and its treatments in women suffering from these cancers. Methods This case-control study was conducted with the participation of ۴۰۰ people (۲۰۰ women with breast and gynecological cancers and ۲۰۰ healthy women without a history of cancer) in hospitals and health centers in Tabriz, Iran, in ۲۰۲۲. Data were collected using a four-part researcher-made questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric characteristics, information related to cancer and information related to infertility and its treatments. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictive infertility factors for breast cancer and gynecological cancers. Results The mean (SD) age of women was ۴۷.۵ (۱۰.۷) and ۴۵.۳ (۸.۶) years in the case and control groups, respectively. Among the participants of the case group, ۹۹ (۴۹.۵%) had breast cancer and ۵۷ (۲۸.۵%) had ovarian cancer, ۲۹ (۱۴.۵%) had uterine cancer, ۲ (۱.۰%) had cervical cancer, and ۱۳ (۶.۵%) had both uterine and ovarian cancers. Based on the multivariable logistic regression model and by controlling socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics as possible confounding variables, women with cancer had an infertility history almost ۴ times more than women who did not have a history of cancer (OR= ۳.۵۶; ۹۵% Cl: ۱.۳۶ to ۹.۳۳ p= ۰.۰۱۰). Women with breast cancer had an infertility history ۵ times more than women without a history of breast cancer (OR= ۵.۱۱; ۹۵% Cl: ۱.۶۸ to ۱۵.۵۰ p= ۰.۰۰۴). The infertility history of women with gynecological cancer was more than three times that of the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (OR= ۳.۳۶; ۹۵% Cl: ۰.۹۹ to ۱۱.۴۷ p= ۰.۰۵۳). Conclusions Infertility and its treatments may be involved in increasing the risk of breast and gynecological cancers. Thus, it is recommended to use the minimum dose, drug treatment period, and assisted reproductive methods by increasing people's awareness about the disadvantages of hormonal drugs and infertility treatment methods. The rate of cancer can be reduced especially in people with cancer risk factors by reducing the dose and duration of drug treatment. Also, the results of our study need to be confirmed by other studies using a larger number of women with cancer.

کلیدواژه ها:

Breast cancer ، gynecological cancer ، infertility ، infertility treatment