Decisions of young women with breast cancer regarding fertility preservation before cancer treatment and family building after treatment Journal Article

  

Authors:	Abdo, N.; Thom, B.; Chang, C.; Feldman, M.; Benedict, C.; Semler, R.; Kelvin, J.; Gemignani, M.; Goldfarb, S.
Article Title:	Decisions of young women with breast cancer regarding fertility preservation before cancer treatment and family building after treatment
Abstract:	Purpose: Approximately 19% of breast cancer cases in 2020 were diagnosed in women under age 50. These premenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer face unique challenges related to family building. This study examines the decision-making and outcomes of patients who pursue fertility preservation before treatment and family building afterwards. Methods: Breast cancer survivors seen by a fertility nurse specialist before initiating cancer treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) between 2009 and 2017 were contacted to participate. Participants completed a web-based cross-sectional survey examining decisions made about fertility preservation, factors influencing them, and post-treatment reflections and outcomes. Results: Prior to treatment, 168 women met with a reproductive endocrinologist and 116 underwent fertility preservation. After completing cancer treatment, 36 women had children and 15 of these women used eggs/embryos frozen prior to treatment. The majority of women deemed these factors “very important” when deciding whether to freeze eggs/embryos: a desire to have a biologic child, the ability to feel hopeful about their future, the chance of success, feeling overwhelmed by their diagnosis, and concerns about having regret if they didn’t freeze their eggs/embryo. Conclusions: Over half of patients who attempted family building after treatment were able to have children. Many of these women used eggs/embryos frozen before treatment either by getting pregnant themselves or via surrogacy. Implications for Cancer Survivors: This data stresses the importance of referring cancer patients early to a reproductive endocrinologist before initiation of systemic therapy and has high translational promise in the clinical care of all young female cancer survivors interested in fertility preservation. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.
Keywords:	breast cancer; fertility preservation; family building; reproductive endocrinologist
Journal Title:	Journal of Cancer Survivorship
ISSN:	1932-2259
Publisher:	Springer
Publication status:	Online ahead of print
Date Published:	2025-04-23
Online Publication Date:	2025-04-23
Language:	English
DOI:	10.1007/s11764-025-01809-1
PROVIDER:	scopus
PUBMED:	40266447
DOI/URL:	https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105003226544&doi=10.1007%2fs11764-025-01809-1&partnerID=40&md5=bd4fbd3806d6056854fa7212353c5785
Notes:	Article -- Source: Scopus

https://synapse.mskcc.org/synapse/works/has_related_data_chk/226397