Impact of breast cancer treatment on ovarian function and fertility
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women of reproductive age. Approximately 13% of all breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women younger than 45 years of age [1]. Prevalence of breast cancer is rising among younger women due to changed lifestyle. With the advances in the field of therapeutic modalities in terms of chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy and surgical interventions for breast cancer, long term prognosis of patients diagnosed with early stage breast cancer is excellent. But improved life expectancy for the reproductive-age group of women has raised the problems of fertility preservation because of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea. Aggressive chemotherapy causes infertility or premature ovarian failure due to destruction ovarian reserve [2]. In comparison with young women, older women have higher incidence of ovarian failure because of large primordial follicle reserve among young women declines with age [3]. Most of the young patients diagnosed with the breast cancer have significant anxiety and lack of information about the reproductive issues and fertility related concerns significantly affect their quality of life.