Has anyone had IVF or other fertility treatment?

Velo - well I looked pregnant for a while before and after, but they retrieved 32 eggs and 23 fertilized and were bald to be frozen. Had to take meds after to prevent ovarian hyper stimulation but all is well

I had my IVF in Feb 2011, diagnosed with BC July 2012. My BC is PR- ER- but I still believe there is a link! I recently came across a research about "Estrogen Metabolism" and got to know about a genetic disorder that can cause an impaired estrogen metabolism, which can increase the risk of developing BC. specially in ladies who had birth control bills, HRT , IVF or any other fertility drugs

Here is the link to the study

 http://ivfbreastcancer.com/test-info/

I did IVF. It didn't work. I got BC about two years later. My Sister Debbi did some fertility drugs...she got her BC while pregnant.

I'm so happy for all you girls that did IVF and it worked!!!!!!!

Do I think there is a connection? I have no idea.

((hugs))

I also did IVF after I was diagnosed - after my surgery, before chemo. Also took Femara to decrease my estrogen. Got 23 embryos out of the deal! 

Before I started IVF for fertility preservation I did quite a bit of research to see if there was a link between breast cancer and/or cancer recurrence and IVF. After reading a lot I came to the conclusion that IVF treatments do not cause breast cancer. Based on what I read, the reason why you see higher rates of BC amongst women who do/have done IVF is because of a couple of factors. In general, women going in for IVF treatment tend to be a bit older, usually in their mid-later 30's or early 40's. They also are more likely to not have had any children previous to the IVF. It turns out that the same women who are likely to use IVF are also the same women who are at higher risk for BC due to lack of pregnancies and age. I certainly fit into this category, as do most of the women I know who are younger with BC. I know it's only anecdotal evidence but I'm involved in a few support groups for younger women with breast cancer and all either had children later in life, had no children at all or had a significant family hx/were BRCA carriers. It often appears that the IVF hormones are to blame but the largest factors are related to lack of carried-to-term pregnancies/breastfeeding and age. I may be wrong because there still doesn't seem to be totally clear info indicating that IVF does not have a link to BC but based on the information I've come across, this is what I've come to believe. 

by the way pregnancy is a risk factor for breast cancer. Look at Schedin and Borges research at University of Colorado. This is new research just coming out.

S

My sister in law just passed away at the age of 45 from breast cancer mets to the brain. No history of breast cancer in her family. She had a clean bill of health when she used IVF. She became pregnant with twins and then was immediately diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Her children turned 8 years old and 1 month later she died. The children she worked so hard to have are now motherless. So I basically don't believe anything that BIG PINK says. I also have breast cancer but mine is estrogen positive. Chemo did nothing. I have a clean bill of health and I am trying very hard to take sugars and carbs out of my diet as they is what feeds cancer. The Cancer industry makes billions of dollars a year so curing it would be bad for business.

Edited by Mods to remove inflammatory statement.

Hi ladies-

This seems to be a stagnant thread, so hopefull this will revive by sharing my story...

I live in Denver, Colorado and had been going through IVF treatments to get pregnant with my second kiddo. I started the process five years ago. I went through two retrievals of my own eggs, and were fortunate to get 7. I went through three rounds of transfers before getting pregnant, the end resulting in a devastating loss at 38 weeks (stillborn). I went through a forth IVF treatment with my last embryo and happy to report he is currently sleeping in the nursery and just turned 2yr!

We always wanted two kids, and because I am now 45yr we chose to use donor egg this time and have 14 on 'ice' ready to go. I was working in bed one evening when I found my lump- I was five days away from getting pregnant through IVF- AFTER having clear mammo three weeks prior! I also had clear mammograms every year since 2012 (a requirement of my IVF clinic).

Long story short- called Dr Mom first, she said it was nothing, dense breasts in family, no history of cancer. Waited a day then called my clinic to tell them what I found and- they put baby on hold until I got everything checked out -thank goodness or I'm sure this would be an entirely different conversation! Through a series of mammo/ultrasound/MRI and biopsies I was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive ductal cancer, estro/proges +, HER2 -, node -. I also took the genetic test and I am negative for BRCA, et al.

After many interviews and second opinions, I decided to do a double mastectomy and reconstruction vs lumpectomy and radiation. I had a great surgical team and an anesthesiologist that did a new series of blocks that had me off all narcotics two days after surgery and just on Advil. I am one month post-op and look/feel great!

I did get an OncotypeDX test and it came back at 19. My tumor was small, 1.7cm. I will refuse any radiation or chemo if suggested since Onco number is low enough to make me feel comfortable in doing so.

I have asked many, many times if my IVF treatments caused my cancer. My IVF clinic and oncologists say there is no link, but of course, I'm doubtful.

I still want to get pregnant with baby #2- I loved being pregnant, super easy pregnancy both times, and although we can figure out a way to use a surrogate, I would prefer not to go that route if I could do it.

I'm curious if any of you ladies chose to get pregnant BEFORE treatment? I am meeting with two medical oncologists this week about treatment going forward, expecting the typical Tamoxifen suggestion. I understand the suggestion of Tamoxifen is to lower the estrogen in my body. But what I don't understand is I am reading about women who take it for 2yr, 5 yrs and then go on to get pregnant- something that will raise the estrogen in their bodies, and therefore hypothetically, the risk. If I understand correctly, Tamoxifen doesn't kill estrogen receptors, so why not get pregnant before taking Tamoxifen since it seems the risk is the same, with just a 2/5 year difference.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I got diagnosed with DCIS 2 years ago in my left breast and I decided to do double mastectomy. They performed the surgery and got 13 lymph nodes from my left arm but the result was negative. Even though in the report it's mentioned invasive but my doctors suggestion was that I do not need to go under chemotherapy nor radiation. After 2 years I decided to use a surrogate mom and use my own egg through ivf not because I'm not fertile but only my doctor says pregnancy might rise up the chance of getting cancer.

In the meantime I'm worried because of being invasive, as soon as I inject some hormones those cells are gonna start growing somewhere in my body!

Can someone help me with this! Any experience!

I had IVF after bc and have two embryos on ice. I had to inject with estrogen but they gave me a letrozole to counter that, so ended up with very low levels overall.

I don’t think IVF causes ER+bc specifically, but I think if someone is pre-menopausal (already high estrogen) and then increase or double it with any estrogens (from alcohol, weight gain, pill, ivf estrogen injections etc), then yeah this could tip the balance and make you estrogen dominant with dangerously high levels and at risk of bc.

Additionally I think if you also have a predisposition to bc (gene mutation) and add high levels of estrogen then more likely to develop ER bc.