The stimulation of ovulation and endometrial carcinogenesis: possible relationship and study prospects (literature review)

Abstract

Currently, infertility is still a global problem; therefore, reproductive doctors worldwide are actively studying new and improving existing methods of overcoming female infertility. In recent years, the arsenal of drugs that can stimulate ovarian function has significantly expanded. A prerequisite for the use of drugs in this group is the presence of a follicular apparatus in the ovaries. Ovulation inducers contribute to the maturation of several follicles at once, and their ability to influence the process of steroidogenesis is beyond doubt. However, the long-term risk assessment when using these drugs, namely the risk of developing malignant female reproductive system neoplasm, remains poorly understood despite their long-term use. This problem is multifaceted and quite difficult to study since the etiological causes of infertility are considered a risk factor for developing malignant female reproductive system neoplasms. Oncological diseases are diagnosed several years after infertility treatment, thus proving a causal relationship is difficult, on the one hand, and dictating the need for a long period of observation in the group of women who underwent infertility treatment, considering the characteristics of each specific method, on the other hand. Herein, the authors analyzed the results of published studies on the possible relationship between ovulation induction and the risk of developing cancer in the uterine body.