P –355 Cancer diagnosis among patients with recurrent pregnancy loss: a cohort study

AbstractStudy questionIs unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) related to long term cancer morbidity?Summary answerRecurrent unexplained pregnancy loss patients showed lower cancer morbidity. This trend was significant in the secondary aborters and in a sub-analysis for gynecological cancers.What is known alreadyThe association between infertility and cancer was studied, but has scarcely been studied in RPL; One study reported a higher incidence of breast and uterine cancers, while another found no association. Immune dysfunction is a possible cause of ‘unexplained RPL’; RPL patients have an increased number of toxic natural killer cells (NKs) in both peripheral blood and decidua. The immune system is also involved in the recognition of cancer cells, potentially leading to effective killing. It is possible that the NK populations in RPL are ca pable of a better response towards cancer cells in the uterine environment and related organs.Study design, size, durationA retrospective cohort study comparing RPL patients and patients with normal deliveries presenting between 1990 –2010 and followed up until 2018.Participants/materials, setting, methodsThe RPL (exposed) group consisted of patients with 3 or more losses between 5 –24 weeks. The comparison (unexposed) group included women who gave birth, and were not listed in the registry of RPL patients. Matching was based on maternal age and year of delivery, which was matched to the date of admission to the RPL clinic....
Source: Human Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: research