Vol 86, No 6 (2015)
ARTICLES
Fertility-sparing treatment in female genital cancer and breast cancer
Paweł Basta, Joanna Streb, Karolina Szczygieł
DOI: 10.17772/gp/2407
·
Ginekol Pol 2015;86(6).
Vol 86, No 6 (2015)
ARTICLES
Abstract
Postponed motherhood is the reason why many women are diagnosed with cancer before they make the decision
to conceive a child, but only a small number of the affected patients will receive any information about treatmentrelated
infertility.
As far as female genital cancer is concerned, cervical cancer continues to be the most frequently diagnosed malignancy
in women of childbearing age. In its early stages, it can be treated with surgical procedures which spare
the genitals, i.e. surgical conization and vaginal radical trachelectomy with laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. The
advantages of these procedures have been observed in our experience. Also, a successful conservative 6-month
treatment of endometrial cancer limited to the mucous membrane with progestagens following curettage of the
uterine cavity has been reported in the literature.
This paper also presents our own experience with fertility-sparing surgical treatment of ovarian cancer with borderline
malignancy and invasive IA stage. Breast cancer affects over 7% of all cancer patients under the age of 40.
Pregnancy after breast cancer treatment has been shown to develop properly and both, pregnancy and breastfeeding
have no influence on cancer relapse. Protective shields for the adnexa or relocation of the ovaries should
be used during radiotherapy in patients who wish to preserve their fertility. In case of chemotherapy, application of
GnRH analogs has shown promising results in preservation of the ovarian function. Also, the development of new
assisted reproductive technology has offered an increasing number of alternatives for young cancer patients who
wish to preserve their fertility.
Abstract
Postponed motherhood is the reason why many women are diagnosed with cancer before they make the decision
to conceive a child, but only a small number of the affected patients will receive any information about treatmentrelated
infertility.
As far as female genital cancer is concerned, cervical cancer continues to be the most frequently diagnosed malignancy
in women of childbearing age. In its early stages, it can be treated with surgical procedures which spare
the genitals, i.e. surgical conization and vaginal radical trachelectomy with laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. The
advantages of these procedures have been observed in our experience. Also, a successful conservative 6-month
treatment of endometrial cancer limited to the mucous membrane with progestagens following curettage of the
uterine cavity has been reported in the literature.
This paper also presents our own experience with fertility-sparing surgical treatment of ovarian cancer with borderline
malignancy and invasive IA stage. Breast cancer affects over 7% of all cancer patients under the age of 40.
Pregnancy after breast cancer treatment has been shown to develop properly and both, pregnancy and breastfeeding
have no influence on cancer relapse. Protective shields for the adnexa or relocation of the ovaries should
be used during radiotherapy in patients who wish to preserve their fertility. In case of chemotherapy, application of
GnRH analogs has shown promising results in preservation of the ovarian function. Also, the development of new
assisted reproductive technology has offered an increasing number of alternatives for young cancer patients who
wish to preserve their fertility.
Keywords
cervical cancer / endometrial cancer / ovarian cancer / breast cancer / fertility preservation /
Title
Fertility-sparing treatment in female genital cancer and breast cancer
Journal
Ginekologia Polska
Issue
Vol 86, No 6 (2015)
Page views
870
Article views/downloads
968
DOI
10.17772/gp/2407
Bibliographic record
Ginekol Pol 2015;86(6).
Keywords
cervical cancer / endometrial cancer / ovarian cancer / breast cancer / fertility preservation /
Authors
Paweł Basta
Joanna Streb
Karolina Szczygieł