Infertility Problems in Young Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to systematically review infertility problems on patients with breast cancer, conduct a meta-analysis, if possible, and to emphasize the main points of proper treatment, including some available choices to keep fertility.Methods: 108 titles and abstracts were found from databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane, and web of science data. Nine articles have been chosen for systematic review after duplicate elimination and selection of eligible ones were included with criteria such as young female breast cancer with concerns related to fertility, ovarian failure or fertility-related symptoms, and upper 50 years’ age limitation.Results: Nine studies were included in this systematic review, from which seven studies (2014 - 2018, n = 1697 women), by choosing newer studies on single populations went under meta-analyzed. It was revealed that the prevalence of infertility in women with breast cancer with a range of 48.5% (95% CI: minimum of 25.5% and maximum of72.2%) was significant. This would be an important issue for young breast cancer survivors, whether going for fertility preservation or not. Conclusion: Young breast cancer survivors should be awarded the issues related to fertility and be prepared to discuss options for fertility preservation. Due to the limited studies, the results should be going under further validations by vaster heterogeneity and in cohort studies with short-term parameters, biomarkers related to ovarian function evaluating the infertility problems; and there would be a demand for further studies on better therapies shortened the consequences on the fertility.

Keywords:

Breast Cancer , Drug Therapy , Fertility Preservation , Reproductive Age , Adjuvant Chemotherapy , Meta-Analysis