This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cottreau, C. M. Articles by Goodman, M. T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cottreau, C. M. Articles by Goodman, M. T.

Endometriosis and Its Treatment with Danazol or Lupron in Relation to Ovarian Cancer

University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [C. M. C., R. B. N., F. M., G. O. A.]; University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania [F. M., G. O. A.]; and Cancer Research Center, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii [M. T. G.]

ABSTRACT

Purpose: It has been hypothesized that circulating androgens may be involved in the development of ovarian cancer. The androgenic medication, danazol, and the antiandrogenic medications, leuprolide and nafarelin, are commonly used in the treatment of endometriosis. We assessed the associations between the use of these medications and ovarian cancer.

Experimental Design: We pooled information on self-reported use of danazol and leuprolide/nafarelin from two population-based case-control studies of incident ovarian cancer, comprising 1373 cases and 1980 controls. Odds ratios for the association between danazol and ovarian cancer, and leuprolide/nafarelin and ovarian cancer were adjusted for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, and family history of ovarian cancer. These analyses were repeated among the 120 cases and 124 controls who reported having had endometriosis.

Results: Danazol users (n = 19) were at a significantly elevated 3.2 fold (95% confidence interval, 1.2–8.5) risk of developing ovarian cancer, whereas leuprolide/nafarelin users (n = 23) were not at significantly elevated risk (odds ratio, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.4–2.4). Similar results were obtained among the subset of women with endometriosis.

Conclusions: Danazol, but not leuprolide/nafarelin, increased the risk of ovarian cancer. This supports the hypothesis that androgen excess may be associated with the development of ovarian cancer.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Melin, P. Sparen, and A. Bergqvist The risk of cancer and the role of parity among women with endometriosis Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2007; 22(11): 3021 - 3026. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Melin, P. Sparen, I. Persson, and A. Bergqvist Endometriosis and the risk of cancer with special emphasis on ovarian cancer Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2006; 21(5): 1237 - 1242. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. Greer, F. Modugno, G. O. Allen, and R. B. Ness Androgenic Progestins in Oral Contraceptives and the Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Obstet. Gynecol., April 1, 2005; 105(4): 731 - 740. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]