Can cancer treatment affect future pregnancy safety?

Question

Hello doctor,

I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer last year, and I am currently on Fulvestrant plus Abemaciclib. I am 36 and thinking about freezing my eggs before further chemotherapy, but I do not know if it is too late or risky. Also, does cancer treatment make pregnancy unsafe later on? Could hormone-positive tumors worsen if I try to conceive? Should I work with a fertility specialist and an oncologist together?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Egg freezing before chemotherapy is generally considered safe, but it does have potential risks and drawbacks that should be carefully considered. While there is no direct evidence that egg freezing interferes with cancer treatment, delaying treatment to undergo fertility preservation could potentially compromise its effectiveness. Cancer treatment in the first trimester may lead to a spontaneous abortion. Exposure to chemotherapeutic medications in the second and third trimesters has been associated with a greater chance for preterm delivery (birth before week 37), a higher rate of stillbirth, low birth weight (weighing less than five pounds, eight ounces or 2500 grams at birth), and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. While there are concerns about whether pregnancy can worsen hormone-positive breast cancer, research indicates that subsequent pregnancy after treatment does not significantly impact overall survival or disease outcomes. Studies suggest that pregnancy after breast cancer treatment does not lead to a higher risk of recurrence or death from breast cancer. Referral to both a fertility specialist and an oncologist will greatly help you.

I hope this helps.

Kindly help.