11 Dec Association Between Frozen Embryo Use and Cancer Risk in Children

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Hargreave

Marie Hargreave, PhD
Senior Researcher
Danish Cancer Society Research Center
Copenhagen

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Very few studies have examined the association between frozen embryo transfer and the risk of childhood cancer and most of them have been too small to show any effects.

In our large nationwide population based study we found that frozen embryo replacement was associated with an increased risk of childhood cancer and especially for leukemia and neuroblastomas.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

Response: We found that frozen embryo replacement was associated with an increased risk of childhood cancer. More large scaled high quality studies have to be conducted to confirm our findings.

Also, even if our findings should be true, it is important to stress the fact that the increased risk is very small for the individual as childhood cancer is very rare.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response:  Frozen embryo transfer differs from other types of treatment both in the use of fertility drugs, use of cryoprotectants and the freezing and thawing of embryos. Besides epidemiological studies in humans, animal studies and in vitro studies should be conducted to clarify the underlying mechanisms of the increased risk. 

None of the authors have anything to disclose.

Citation:

Hargreave M, Jensen A, Hansen MK, et al. Association Between Fertility Treatment and Cancer Risk in Children. JAMA. 2019;322(22):2203–2210. doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.18037

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Last Updated on December 11, 2019 by Marie Benz MD FAAD