Cancer patients can bear kids

 

Women who have survived breast cancer or oral cancer have given birth normally as radiation therapy is focused on malignant cells, said Dr P. Guhan, director of Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research (SRIOR).

 

It is a proven myth that all those who undergo chemotherapy lose fertility. "In cases of cancer in the testes, the sperm count in males is seen to improve significantly. As for chemotherapy, the alkaylating agents pose a risk to fertility and if the particular type of malignancy warrants chemo treatment with these agents, then the men can go in for sperm banking. There have been cases where men preserve their semen before they undergo chemotherapy," said Dr Guhan.

 

Dr Asha Rao, director, fertility unit, Rao Hospital, said a breast cancer survivor at the hospital delivered a baby nine years after she completed her treatment. Though radiation can lower sperm count and ovarian reserves, the body will rejuvenate and not all cancer survivors face the risk of infertility, she observed.

 

Nevertheless, psychological factors play a major role and several choose not to get married because they are engulfed by the fear of placing their children at risk of malignancy, congenital abnormalities, or impaired growth.

 

The survivors are also concerned about the risks of cancer recurrence, infertility, miscarriage and achieving a successful pregnancy outcome. It is also important to ensure that following chemotherapy in men, the sperm count needs to be assessed in one to two years to check if the count is over 5 million and if there are persisting abnormalities.

 

If the count is low and abnormalities persist, in vitro fertilisation could be an option. In women, ovarian reserve and normality of menstrual cycle can be checked a year after completion of treatment to assess fertility and chances of conceiving, Dr Guhan added.