Cancer treatment can cause damage to fertility and bring forward menopause. Egg freezing is a way out! Even as the “Pink October” campaign grows in popularity, breast cancer is still a reality in the lives of thousands of women across the country. The National Cancer Institute (INCA) points out that, […]
Cancer treatment can cause damage to fertility and bring forward menopause. Egg freezing is a way out!
Even if the countryside Pink October is increasingly popular, breast cancer is still a reality in the lives of thousands of women across the country. The National Cancer Institute (INCA) points out that, in 2023, almost 74 thousand women were diagnosed with the disease. Furthermore, this type of cancer is the one that causes the highest number of deaths among women in Brazil and, according to the Brazilian Society of Mastology (SBM), the disease is affecting more and more young people.
Due to its high incidence, the question arises: how does cancer treatment affect female fertility?
Early menopause is a risk
Treatments against the disease can in fact damage women’s fertility, according to gynecologist César Patez. “It can cause damage to the ovarian follicles, interfering with the quality of eggs and hormone production carried out in the ovaries. Chemotherapy can also interrupt the menstrual cycle or cause irregularities and can even lead to early menopause,” she explains.
Gynecologist Isabella Drummond, of the Israelite Albert Einstein Hospital, says the reason is because chemotherapy is a cytotoxic agent, meaning it causes cell death and can cause temporary or permanent damage to the eggs. “Radiation therapy, when applied to areas close to the reproductive organs, can damage eggs or reproductive organs, negatively affecting reproductive capacity. Procedures on reproductive organs such as the uterus and ovaries can also impact fertility, depending the extent of the intervention. Furthermore, hormone therapies, widely used in the treatment of breast cancer, can lead to suppression of ovarian and female sex hormone levels, thereby interfering with fertility.”
Signs of breast cancer
- Formation of a hard, fixed and generally painless lump in the breast;
- Changes in the breast (nipple);
- Small lumps in the armpits or on the neck;
- Spontaneous release of fluid from one of the nipples;
- Breast skin red, shrunken, or orange peel-like;
I notify: It is necessary to identify the disease in the stages in which it is not palpable: through mammographic screening, a context in which the probability of recovery is very high. (BOX)
The important thing is to wait!
As for life after treatment, Isabella says there’s no set time to try to get pregnant. “The safe time to try to conceive after cancer treatment can vary depending on several factors, including the type of cancer, the treatment you receive, and your response to it. For some women, you should wait six months to a year to try to get pregnant. However, in some cases, the wait may be longer due to the greater risk of recurrence of the disease.”
Cancer treatment can be aggressive
Good parents, good children asked what a woman should do to find out about her pregnancy while being treated for cancer. “We know that the treatment can actually be toxic and cause serious consequences. Therefore, we recommend stopping the treatment and continuing it after the second trimester of pregnancy with drugs that do not harm the baby,” says César Patez.
According to Isabella, chemotherapy should be stopped in the first trimester due to its teratogenic effects. “Radiation therapy is prohibited during pregnancy, that is, it cannot be carried out. In practice, what generally happens is the postponement or modification of the oncological treatment, if it is safe for the mother.”
A multidisciplinary team consisting of an oncologist, an obstetrician and a psychologist must manage this complex situation. “It is necessary to evaluate the risks and benefits of the treatment, as well as the patient’s wishes. The woman will always have her autonomy respected”, adds the gynecologist.
I discovered cancer and I want to become a mother: what should I do?
Patez recommends that, in these cases, women consider egg freezing. “Collecting oocytes to freeze before starting cancer treatment, or even removing part of the ovarian tissue for cryopreservation, keeping the tissue frozen for subsequent transplantation into the human body, are some solutions offered by medicine.”
Myths about breast cancer
At the request of the pharmacist PfizerIpec conducted a survey in Sao Paulo, in 2022, on 1,397 Brazilian women. Published by Pink Collectivedata shows that 64% of respondents believe that self-examination is the most effective way to diagnose cancer at an early stage.
Clara Carvalho, gynecologist and professor at Unigranrio-Afya, states that, although self-awareness of the breast is positive, it is ideal to carry out the correct tests for the diagnosis. “When we talk about a Brazil, in which there is no form of organized screening – a situation called opportunistic screening -, we notice that not all women of age to be able to undergo a mammogram. This is worrying, because we notice a Reduce the range of age of women with breast cancer. So, the consensus is to screen women between the ages of 40 and 69, which we call organized screening. Ideal scenario would be to do annual screening, however, for cost reasons sometimes we recommend screening every two years.”
Divine punishment?
The IPEC survey also found that 8% of women think that breast cancer is a divine punishment, while others believe that it is linked to a lack of forgiveness or the accumulation of hurt feelings. In this scenario, how can we face the disease without guilt and in an emotionally healthy way?
“What we notice in practice is a different profile. A question that women often ask is: ‘why me?’. This is why, during cancer treatment, we recommend support groups. There are patients who carry wounds and negative thoughts and they still face heavy treatment, which can hinder the process of improvement. Even if the final result is not good, the process of treating the disease can be easier if the patient has adequate psychological support and approaches the process in a positive way. anyone, people must be guided not to dwell on these issues, changing the way of thinking is part of the treatment”, concludes Clara.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
