Among younger women with breast cancer, it may be possible for many to have a baby after their diagnosis thanks to advances in breast cancer care, new research suggests. The video is from a previous report. In a study of about 200 women ages 40 and younger with non-metastatic breast cancer who wanted children, roughly three-quarters were able to become pregnant after diagnosis, and about two-thirds had a baby.
The research will be presented on Monday, June 3, at the 2024 ASCO Annual Conference, a major medical conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. However, it has not yet been peer-reviewed or published as a full manuscript in a journal. Doctors say this may give hope to the growing number of younger people being diagnosed with breast cancer who want to preserve their fertility.
"This is indeed great news for young breast cancer survivors," Dr. Julie R. Gralow, Chief Medical Officer of ASCO and oncologist who specializes in breast cancer, told ABC News.
"Achieving a pregnancy after breast cancer diagnosis is both possible and safe." For women diagnosed at earlier ages, fertility may be of great concern and importance, but experts point out that in this study, only 16% of women said they desired a baby after their diagnosis. "I think this may represent the overall reluctance of young women with this diagnosis interrupting their lives at such a young age to pursue pregnancy," Dr.
Julia Foldi, assistant professor of medicine in hematology/oncology, University o.
