Epithelial ovarian cancer, infertility and induction of ovulation: possible pathogenesis and updated concepts.

Numerous case-control, cohort studies, case reports and reviews have been published during the last 5 years regarding the association between infertility and induction of ovulation and epithelial ovarian cancer. Despite this amount of published material, final conclusions regarding direct linkage between these different aspects of infertility and ovarian cancer, as well as any data relating to a putative pathogenetic mechanism, cannot be drawn. In this review we summarize the available data as well as update a previous review by Shoham published in 1994. We outline some of the information that has become available from basic research which may help to direct investigators to suitable clinical research models that may eventually serve to clarify this enigma. Finally we share ideas that focus on specific high-risk cohorts.