Lancet
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Concern has been expressed that exposure to fertility drugs might be associated with a risk of ovarian cancer. We have examined the incidence of breast and ovarian cancer in a cohort of 10,358 women referred for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in Victoria, Australia, between 1978 and 1992. The "exposed" group (n = 5564) had had ovarian stimulation to induce multiple folliculogenesis and the "unexposed" group (n = 4794) had been referred for IVF but were untreated or had had "natural cycle" treatment without ovarian stimulation. ⋯ This relatively short-term follow-up suggests that ovarian stimulation with IVF is not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Although there was no significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer after ovarian stimulation with IVF the small number of cases limits the conclusions that can be drawn. Longer-term follow-up of large cohorts of women who have been in IVF programmes will be necessary.
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Meta Analysis
Is senile dementia "age-related" or "ageing-related"?--evidence from meta-analysis of dementia prevalence in the oldest old.
The observation of an exponential increase in senile dementia prevalence with age has led to the conclusion that this disease may be inevitable in those who live long enough. The alternative view is that at very high ages the prevalence rate levels off. Studies conducted to date have not included sufficient numbers of very old people to resolve this difference of opinion. ⋯ The rate of increase in senile dementia prevalence was found to fall in the age range 80-84, and at around the age of 95 prevalence was seen to level off to about 40%. It seems that senile dementia is better conceptualised as an "age-related" (ie, occurring within a specific age range) rather than as an "ageing-related" disorder (that is, caused by the ageing process itself). Very elderly survivors may be at diminishing risk of dementia and this has implications for public health policy.