Study Suggests Chemotherapy Diminishes Fertility In Breast Cancer Patients

CHICAGO -- Pre-menopausal breast cancer survivors who were treated with chemotherapy following surgery were more likely to have diminished ovarian reserve - the capacity of the ovaries to provide eggs capable of being fertilized - compared to women who have never had breast cancer, according to a study led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators. Their findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), May 30-June 3, in Chicago.The researchers analyzed markers of ovarian reserve in 20 premenopausal breast cancer patients who had been treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, who were one or more years out from their diagnosis, and who had no evidence of recurrence. This group was compared...