Spector LG, et al. - The incidence of childhood cancers among children conceived in vitro was contrasted by researchers with those conceived naturally. This research discovered a tiny connection of IVF with overall cancers of early childhood but observed an increased rate of embryonic cancers, especially hepatic tumors, which could not be ascribed to IVF instead of underlying infertility. Continued cancer follow-up among IVF-conceived kids is warranted.

Methods

• A retrospective, population-based cohort study linking cycles reported to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinical Outcomes Reporting System from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2012, resulting in live births from September 1, 2004, to December 31, 2013, at the birth and cancer registries of 14 states, comprising 66% of US births and 75% of IVF-conceived births, follow-up from September 1, 2004, to December 31, 2014.
• Participants in the study were 275,686 IVF-conceived kids and a cohort of 2,266,847 kids, randomly chosen 10 births for each IVF birth.
• From April 1, 2017, to October 1, 2018, statistical analysis was performed.
• Exposure included in vitro fertilization.
• Main outcomes and measures included cancer diagnosed in the first decade of life.

Results

• A total of 321 cancers have been identified among kids conceived through IVF (49.1% girls and 50.9% boys; mean [SD] age, 4.6 [2.5] years for singleton births and 5.9 [2.4] years for multiple births), and a total of 2042 cancers have been identified among kids not conceived through IVF (49.2% girls and 50.8% boys; mean [SD] age, 6.1 [2.6] years for singleton births and 4.7 [2.6] years for multiple births).
• Data reported that the overall cancer rate (per 1 000 000 person-years) for the IVF group was 251.9 and 192.7 for the non-IVF group (hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.00-1.36).
• The hepatic tumors rate was higher among the IVF group vs the non-IVF group (hepatic tumor rate: 18.1 vs 5.7; hazard ratio, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.29-4.70).
• The rates of other cancers between the two groups were not different.
• There have been no associations with particular modalities for IVF treatment or IVF indication.