Breast Cancer Treatments and Fertility Impact
Breast Cancer Treatments and Their Impact on Fertility
Breast cancer treatments include multiple options to combat the disease, which is the most common type of cancer among women and requires specialized care and treatment. Choosing the appropriate treatment depends on several factors, including the type of cancer, its stage, and the patient’s general health condition.
What Breast Cancer Treatments Are Available?
There are many treatments for breast cancer, ranging from surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Choosing the appropriate treatment depends on the nature of the cancer and the patient’s needs. It is necessary to consult specialist doctors to obtain a personalized treatment plan that suits each case.
Available Breast Cancer Treatments Are:
- Surgery: Surgery is considered one of the main options for treating breast cancer, and it is chosen based on the condition and the decision of the specialist doctor. It may be either tumor removal, which may be done by removing the tumor, mastectomy, or ending the patient’s suffering through mastectomy with periodic follow-up of the condition after that.
- Chemotherapy is used to destroy cancer cells, and it is usually given intravenously or orally. It is used in certain situations, such as after surgery to prevent cancer from coming back and before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy is used to destroy cancer cells in the breast area after surgery. It can be used to reduce the risk of cancer coming back, especially after a tumor has been removed. Radiation therapy is a common option after mastectomy or lumpectomy.
- Hormone therapy: Hormonal therapy is used if there are hormonal receptors on cancer cells, as it contributes to reducing the levels of hormones that help cancer grow, such as estrogen. This is done by prescribing the effective and appropriate medication for the patient’s condition.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a relatively new option as one of the important breast cancer treatments, as it stimulates the immune system to attack cancer cells. It is used in certain cases, such as triple-negative breast cancer.
What is the Effect of Breast Cancer Treatments on Fertility?
Breast cancer is a disease that particularly affects women, as treatment often requires procedures that affect various aspects of a woman’s life, including fertility.
As mentioned above, breast cancer treatments include several options, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormone therapy. Each type of treatment may affect fertility differently.
The Effect of Breast Cancer Treatments on Fertility:
- It negatively affects the ovaries and accelerates menopause, especially with the continued use of some chemical medications, which hinders the ability to reproduce.
- Effects on egg production. Chemotherapy may reduce the number of available eggs, affecting fertility.
- The effect on fertility when exposed to radiation therapy, especially if the radiation is directed to the pelvic area, where it causes damage to reproductive tissues and negatively affects hormone production.
- Women’s exposure to health risks increases when pregnancy continues after radiotherapy.
- The negative impact on menstruation is significant and profound, especially with hormone therapy.
What are the Best Options Available to Preserve Women’s Fertility?
Dr. Amina Al-Asali says that a woman who suffers from breast cancer and wants to preserve her fertility can choose from several available options, namely:
- Egg freezing: Egg freezing is an effective option for women who want to become pregnant in the future after treatment ends.
- Freezing embryos, if the woman is married, as she can perform a fertilization procedure, collect the embryos, and then freeze them.
- Ovarian tissue freezing: An experimental option is to freeze part of the ovarian tissue.
How Does a Woman Choose the Best Option to Enhance Her Fertility against Breast Cancer Treatments?
It is important for a woman to talk to her oncologist and obstetrician-gynecologist about concerns about the effect of breast cancer treatments on fertility before starting treatment. And study the available methods to choose the best way to preserve fertility and enhance her reproductive ability.
Do Breast Cancer Treatments Cause Infertility?
Yes, breast cancer treatments affect fertility and may cause infertility in some cases. This depends on several factors, including the type of treatment and protocol followed, the woman’s age, and her general health condition. Therefore, it is necessary for the affected woman to speak with a specialist doctor before starting treatment to find out the best options for preserving fertility if she is planning to become pregnant in the future.
How Do Breast Treatments Affect the Ovaries?
Breast cancer treatments affect the ovaries in several ways, and this may lead to changes in ovarian function and significantly reduced fertility. These effects include causing ovarian damage and early menopause. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor before starting to follow the breast cancer treatment protocol.
Important Tips for Breast Cancer Patients to Avoid the Negative Effects of Breast Cancer Treatments
Al-Asali mentioned several important tips about reducing the impact of breast cancer treatments on fertility, as follows:
- Communicate with the specialist doctor to discuss the available breast cancer treatment options, and to find out the best option for preserving fertility, and to ensure that it does not negatively affect the woman’s reproductive ability.
- Inquire about available clinical trials and find out their results.
- Knowing the importance of early detection in reducing the impact of breast cancer treatments and preventing its impact on women’s fertility.
- Conducting periodic examinations and understanding the changes occurring in the breast to quickly detect the disease and prevent the negative effects of its treatments.
Conclusion
Breast cancer treatments greatly affect a woman’s fertility. Possible effects include decreased egg production and ovarian damage. Therefore, you should consult a specialist doctor to know the options available to enhance women’s fertility.
FAQs
- Can breast cancer treatments affect fertility?
- Yes, breast cancer treatments can affect fertility.
- How do breast cancer treatments affect the ovaries?
- Breast cancer treatments affect the ovaries in several ways, leading to changes in ovarian function and significantly reduced fertility.
- What are the best options available to preserve women’s fertility?
- Egg freezing, freezing embryos, and ovarian tissue freezing are some of the available options for preserving women’s fertility.
- How can a woman choose the best option to enhance her fertility against breast cancer treatments?
- A woman can choose the best option by consulting her oncologist and obstetrician-gynecologist and studying the available methods to preserve fertility and enhance her reproductive ability.