|
| The chances are when you undergo chemotherapy, it very often results in a loss of ovarian function, essentially creating early menopause. However, one young patient who received a diagnosis of breast cancer, had her dreams of having a child come true, thanks to the amazing advances in the fields of fertility and genetics and the dedication of Dr. George Grunert and our team at Fertility Specialists of Houston. Forethought and planning is the secret behind this success story. Should you receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, prior to completing or even starting your family, I urge you to consider ‘banking’ your fertility. If you are able to make the time before your treatment protocol begins (and this decision must be made in partnership with the treating oncologist) due to the advances in fertility research and treatment, we can now offer several options. In this instance, we liaised with the oncology experts at MD Anderson and were able to taking the time prior to the start of the treatment protocol to harvest and freeze the young couple’s embryos. Just two years after she completed chemotherapy, her oncologist gave her the go-ahead to begin the process of working toward a successful pregnancy. An added complication with this young patient’s diagnosis was the knowledge that she was a carrier of BRCA-1, a genetic mutation that drastically increases the risks of developing breast and ovarian cancer, which meant that as an identified ‘carrier,’ this gene could be passed on to her children. Armed with this information, we were able to screen her embryos for gene mutation, implanting only the unaffected embryos. She conceived and is currently enjoying the blessing of a healthy pregnancy. Advances in the field of genetic testing eliminate the agony of passing on a mutated gene to a child and that is added peace of mind. Currently, we’ve been able to identify almost 20,000 genetic diseases (not ALL fatal), and with this knowledge, we screen and only transfer embryos that will result in a healthy child. In fact, a simple saliva test will allow us to determine if you are a carrier for any of the 100 most common genetic diseases-cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy, sickle cell and Tay-Sachs-all of which can be passed on in pregnancy. Helping patients who otherwise could not have a child conceive is one of the most gratifying experiences of my life, and I’d like every young cancer patient to be aware, that with a little advance planning, your dreams of having a family can also come true.
|
|
George M. Grunert, MD Director, Fertility Specialists of Houston, 7900 Fannin Street, Houston 77054. Tel. 713.512.7900, www.fshivf.com