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OK to get pregnant after treatment?

Page last modified on: September 17, 2008
Question from Patricia: I'm 31 years old. I had breast cancer 5 years ago. My treatment included goserelin. I've had menopausal symptoms -- irritability, hot flashes, no sexual appetite. Now I'm finished treatment. My period came back. What is your opinion about me becoming pregnant? My analysis results are OK so far and I will finish 5 years of tamoxifen in 2 months.
Answers —Kutluk Oktay, M.D.: First of all, we would need to know what kind of chemotherapy you received. If your treatment was only with goserelin (brand name: Zoladex) and no chemotherapy, you should be in good shape to get pregnant at this age. If you had chemotherapy then your fertility might be compromised. It's best that you see a specialist who can assess your current egg reserve by doing certain hormonal tests. You may need help conceiving.
Leslie Schover, Ph.D.: As with the previous questions, when the women have no positive lymph nodes and are treated for an early stage breast cancer, studies have not shown any negative effect of getting pregnant afterwards. Women who get pregnant live as long as women who do not get pregnant who are similar in other ways. Although, we would always like to see more research.
Kutluk Oktay, M.D.: Those studies also looked at lymph-node-positive and some of those studies did not find any difference between lymph-node-positive or negative patients as Dr. Schover said, as long as they receive proper treatment. In some studies they were found to be even better, though every study has its weakness.

On Wednesday, September 10, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Fertility and Pregnancy. Kutluk Oktay, M.D. and Leslie Schover, Ph.D. answered your questions about breast cancer treatments that can affect your fertility, options for preserving your fertility, being treated for breast cancer while pregnant, and more.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Kutluk Oktay, M.D.Kutluk Oktay, M.D. is a professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and the director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine & Infertility at New York Medical College.

Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D.Leslie R. Schover, Ph.D. is a renowned psychologist with a special interest in helping people resolve or manage their sexual problems, especially those problems connected with a chronic illness such as cancer.

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