ASCO: Survivors of Early Breast Cancer Can Successfully Attempt Pregnancy

THURSDAY, May 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Most survivors of stage 0 to III breast cancer who attempt pregnancy postdiagnosis are able to become pregnant and have a live birth, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago.

Kimia Sorouri, M.D., M.P.H., from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study involving women with stage 0 to III breast cancer diagnosed at age 40 years or younger from 2006 to 2016 who reported attempting pregnancy postdiagnosis.

The researchers found that 16 percent of the 1,213 eligible participants reported any attempt of pregnancy during a median follow-up of 11 years. Seventy-three percent of those attempting pregnancy reported one or more pregnancies after diagnosis and 65 percent reported one or more live births. From diagnosis to first pregnancy, there was a median of 48 months. Older age at diagnosis was negatively associated with pregnancy in the multivariable model (odds ratio, 0.82 per-year increase), while financial comfort at baseline was positively associated with pregnancy (odds ratio, 2.04). Older age at diagnosis was also negatively associated with live births (odds ratio, 0.82 per-year increase), while a positive association was seen for having undergone fertility preservation at diagnosis (odds ratio, 2.78).

"All young patients interested in fertility preservation should have equitable access to preserve future fertility options," Elizabeth Comen, M.D., from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and medical technology industries.

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