Can egg freezing cause cancer?

Good news: current research is reassuring. Egg freezing is not linked to an increased risk of most cancers. The medications are used for a short time to grow multiple follicles, similar to IVF protocols. Large studies have not found higher rates of breast, colon, or cervical cancer after fertility treatments. Some research notes a small increase in borderline ovarian tumors after assisted reproduction, but these are uncommon and usually highly treatable. A key nuance is that infertility and not having carried a pregnancy can raise certain risks on their own, which is why older studies can be easy to misread.

What the evidence suggests

No overall increase in most cancers after fertility medications or IVF.

A small signal for borderline ovarian tumors has been reported after assisted reproduction, but the absolute risk is low and outcomes are generally very good.

Underlying factors matter: age, endometriosis, PCOS, family history, and never having been pregnant can influence baseline risk more than the medications themselves.

For people with estrogen-sensitive conditions like some breast cancers, clinics can use stimulation protocols with medicines such as letrozole to keep estrogen levels lower during treatment.

Why this can sound confusing

Two patients can take the same medication and have very different backgrounds. If a study does not fully adjust for age, diagnosis, pregnancy history, and genetic risk, the medicines can look riskier than they are. Modern practice also uses safer stimulation strategies than in the past, which reduces side effects like ovarian hyperstimulation. That is why decisions are best made with your own history in view rather than headline averages.

Planning safely with your history

If you have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, or a known genetic risk, raise it early with your clinician. You may be offered genetic counseling, breast screening that fits your age and risk, and a stimulation plan designed for estrogen-sensitive situations. Egg freezing does not screen for cancer, and it is not a medical emergency unless timing is short before treatments like chemotherapy. It is a proactive choice to bank options while eggs are more likely to be healthy.

Where Strawberry fits

Before you decide when to freeze or how many cycles to plan, it helps to understand your starting point. Strawberry’s at-home panels give you lab-grade hormone context without the clinic runaround, and every member receives a Personalized Fertility Timeline that turns results into next steps. Day 3 testing is especially easy because you collect at home, not at a lab when you are tired and menstruating.

Quick pick

Fast check on egg quantity: Ovarian Reserve Blood Test (AMH).

Planning timing and targets: Fertility Blood Test (AMH, FSH, estradiol).

Wider hormone picture: Women’s Health Panel.

Bottom line

The evidence is on your side. Egg freezing is not associated with a higher risk of most cancers, and the small signal seen for borderline ovarian tumors is rare and typically manageable. With a plan tailored to your history and clear data from your own results, you can move forward confidently and keep more options on the table for the future.