Breast Cancer Affecting The Young

Breast Cancer Affecting The Young

While it is not common for breast cancer to strike younger women, the fact remains that all women are at risk. For those of childbearing age, the first sign and symptons of breast cancer can be upsetting but complicated as well.

When diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age,40s, 30s, even 20s will mean difficult decisions have to be made much sooner than originally expected.

For those developing breast cancer during pregnancy, which may be rare, can still happen. In this scenario, the treatment chosen will not only affect the patient and her body, but the growing baby inside her as well. It will depend on what stage of pregnancy she is in and what stage her cancer is in such as whether or not it�s advanced.

Generally pregnant women can have treatment for their breast cancer without affecting the baby. But some might be advised by their obstetrician or health-care practitioner to terminate the pregnancy, more so if the pregnancy is in its earlier stages, in order to receive certain treatments that would be too risky otherwise. However,this is left to the individual to decide.

Generally speaking, tamoxifen, chemotherapy, radiation, and other drug-related therapies are avoided if the woman is pregnant because of their associated risks with birth defects. Tamoxifen, especially, is considered very unsafe because it is a hormonal therapy and is never recommended if the woman is pregnant or planning on conceiving.

Surgery either a lumpectomy or mastectomy is the most common and preferred method of treatment for breast cancer in pregnant women.

Another concern is whether or not breast cancer survivors can or should go on to have children after treatment and recovery. It s a very controversial issue with firm advocates on both sides of the debate.

Two crucial issues remain , for both the medical and health community and breast cancer survivors wanting their own children: a) certain breast cancer treatments may affect fertility and b)whether it is safe to conceive and carry a baby to term following breast cancer and breast cancer treatments?

In so far as fertility is concerned, there is no definite answer here. For chemotherapy, it depends on the age and what specific drug was used. Some affect fertility more than others and taking tamoxifen after chemotherapy to prevent recurrence is not recommended if the woman desires to become pregnant right away. Although tamoxifen is sometimes used as a fertility treatment, there is evidence to suggest that it damages developing embryos, and therefore is not considered safe to use.

Generally doctors caution these women to procrastinate for several years to ensure receiving the best breast cancer treatment possible and to go past the point of the biggest threat of breast cancer recurrence. Howe