The outcome of infertility treatment in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology after conservative therapy for endometrial cancer.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To elucidate the problems in infertility treatment for women after conservative therapy for endometrial cancer (EC) or atypical complex endometrial hyperplasia (ACEH). METHODS: The clinical outcomes of 21 patients who underwent assisted reproductive technology after conservative therapy (group A) and 42 control women (group B) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the number of retrieved oocytes, fertilization rate or the number of transferred embryos between the two groups. Women in group A had a significantly thinner endometrium and a reduced implantation rate compared to those for women in group B. There was no significant difference in the cumulative clinical pregnancy and delivery rates between group A and B. The patients in group A required significantly more embryos for achieving a live-birth. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that a thin endometrium after repeated curettage may have a negative effect on endometrial receptivity of patients after conservative treatment for EC/ACEH. Clinicians should reconsider their present protocols and make efforts to minimize the damage to normal endometrium.