A cancer diagnosis can leave your life in a state of total upheaval, but depending on the particular type or strain you have, if can have an even broader impact.

 

This has been true for breast cancer survivors, particularly those who hope to start a family. Indeed, many survivors have been reluctant to try for a baby, with the belief that the high level of hormones produced during pregnancy could stimulate those harmful cancer cells back into action.

 

For this reason, researchers in the States are hopeful and encouraged by the latest findings, from a new study.

 

According to new research, presented to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, breast cancer survivors who fall pregnant may be able to conceive and carry their child without increasing the risk of their cancer returning.

 

For this study, researchers analysed data from more than 1,200 women. Each woman was under the age of 50 and had been diagnosed with non-metastatic breast cancer (i.e. cancer that hasn't spread to other parts of the body) before the year 2008.

 

 

In all, 333 of these women fell pregnant. The researchers then matched each woman to three women with similar types of cancer who did not fall pregnant. The final step was to conduct a follow-up examination, around 10 years later.

 

The results were nothing short of fascinating. When the researchers compared their results, they came to the conclusion that there was no major difference in the level of cancer recurrence between the women who had conceived, and those who had not.

 

Explaining the results, researcher Dr Erica Mayer said, plainly: "These findings provide reassurance to breast cancer survivors that having a baby after a breast cancer diagnosis may not increase the chance of this cancer coming back.

 

Lead author Dr Matteo Lambertini also made reference to the fact that many of the women who participated in the study had ER-positive cancer (Oestrogen-Receptive), which can have a serious impact on the recovery of cells.

 

"Our findings confirm that pregnancy after breast cancer should not be discouraged, even for ER-positive cancer," he said.

 

While the study authors did concede that more research will be needed, this certainly is a very promising piece of news.

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