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Resume normal periods after chemo? When?

Page last modified on: October 8, 2008
Question from LinVW: What is the percentage of women age 35-40 who resume normal periods after chemotherapy? And how long on average does that take?
Answer —Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.: The younger a woman is when she receives chemotherapy, the greater likelihood that she will resume normal periods after chemotherapy. The time this takes varies, and can be anywhere from 1-12 months. The likelihood of resuming normal periods is also affected by the type of chemotherapy regimen received. One of the more common regimens used today (AC, which stands for Adriamycin [chemical name: doxorubicin] and Cytoxan [chemical name: cyclophosphamide]), allows more women to resume normal periods than previously used regimens (such as CMF, which stands for Cytoxan, methotrexate, and fluorouracil). In summary, most women age 35-40 will resume normal periods within 12 months after chemotherapy.

On Wednesday, April 19, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Young Women and Breast Cancer. Lynn Schuchter, M.D. and moderator Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. answered your questions about the special concerns of young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

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

Schuchter, LynnLynn Schuchter, M.D. is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer and melanoma at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pa.

Jennifer Armstrong, M.D.Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. is a breast cancer oncologist at Paoli Hematology-Oncology Associates in Paoli, Pa., with a special interest in physicians' communication skills.

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