Will you be able to become a mother after beating cancer?

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Nowadays, cancer is a disease that has become increasingly famous. For some time now, conversations about diagnosis, treatment, coping and prevention (an issue that is (or should be) more pressing among millennials are no longer taboo (as you read this). H). There are many reasons, but unfortunately, the increase in the number of cases has led to new discussions on this topic.

In Spain, the number of cancer cases diagnosed in 2023 was 279,260, according to the annual report published by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology. He Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in Spanish women (35,001 cases in 2023), followed by colorectal cancer, and it is estimated that one in eight Spanish women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives.

On the other hand, according to calculations by REDECAN (Spanish Network of Cancer Registries), 286,664 cases will be registered in 2024, which represents a slight increase compared to 2023.

And in this sense, thanks to the visibility and the different narratives generated, infertility is one of the main consequences of cancer – is on the agenda (every year in Spain more than 10,300 women of reproductive age, that is, up to 45 years, are diagnosed with one or another type of cancer).

FERTILE AGE AND CANCER

According to various studies, Almost all cancer treatments have side effects on healthy tissue.Yeswhich can be more or less long lasting, and sometimes irreversible. For women, there is a particular concern that these treatments will affect their desire to become mothers in the future, and this may affect them in a number of ways. For example, research shows that chemotherapy can cause damage and loss of follicles in the ovaries; This may temporarily or permanently affect your menstrual cycle, causing irregular or absent periods and reducing your chance of pregnancy. Additionally, it may even cause the ovaries to stop functioning sooner than expected.

And it was this scenario that motivated Sandra Ibarra, founder of the Sandra Ibarra Foundation, to do her part to support people going through the same thing she did: “The Sandra Ibarra Foundation was born out of my own experience as a cancer patient. After beating two leukemias, I knew I needed to take it a step further and actively promote support for others going through the same thing, and at that time, 29 years ago, bringing hope was a way to professionalize that support. . main goal promote cancer prevention, awareness and researchwhich is a global health issue that aims to improve the quality of life and well-being of cancer patients and survivors,” he says.

We had the opportunity to speak with her about this issue to shed light on anyone interested in fertility and cancer.

You Decide, Let Cancer Don’t Decide is the first guide to fertility and cancer, a project created in collaboration with global healthcare company Organon. How did this initiative come about?

This guide comes from a real need that we see through the voices of many cancer patients, as well as from my personal experience. Cancer not only affects health in the present, but also creates uncertainty about the future, for example, about the possibility of becoming a mother. Many young women diagnosed with cancer do not receive enough information about how the disease and treatment may affect their fertility. In collaboration with Organon, we wanted to create a clear and accessible tool that would answer these questions and help women make informed decisions about their reproductive health and fertility preservation options.

Why has something like this never been done before in Spain?

Although this is a key aspect for the quality of life of many patients, fertility preservation often takes a backseat to the urgency of treating this disease. I think this hasn’t been done before because traditionally cancer treatment has been based on an approach focused more on immediate survival rather than long-term consequences. However, with more young people diagnosed and more survivors, it is vital that we improve their quality of life in the future.

Why is infertility one of the biggest fears of cancer patients?

Fertility is an issue that affects the life projects of many women. When you are diagnosed with cancer, you not only face fears about your current health, but also the possibility that the diagnosis will change your plans for the future.

For many young women, the possibility of losing the ability to have children adds an additional emotional burden to treatment. Additionally, sometimes fertility is not discussed with your doctor right away, which leads to even more uncertainty and distress.

How can this help cancer patients?

With this guide, we aim to empower patients to make informed decisions about their fertility before, during and after cancer treatment. By being more informed, they can explore options such as egg preservation or other methods to become mothers in the future. We also hope that this will help reduce misinformation and show that patients have a right to information and demand a holistic approach to their treatment that considers not only their cure, but also their long-term well-being.

The guidance is intended not only for patients, but also for healthcare professionals. Why is this important?

It is essential that healthcare providers are trained to discuss fertility issues with patients. By providing this guidance, we want clinicians to also have a tool that will allow them to approach these conversations with clarity and sensitivity. Only with an interdisciplinary approach can we improve the quality of life of patients, and this includes both treatment and the project of preserving their lives.

What message would you give to a patient who has just been diagnosed with cancer and is experiencing this and other fears?

I would tell her that she is not alone and that while a diagnosis brings fear and uncertainty, there are options today for preserving her fertility, that she should talk to her medical team and get all the information she can.

From the Foundation and our School of Life, we want to accompany patients and survivors throughout this process, providing emotional support and tools so that they can resume their lives with quality and confidence. There is life beyond cancer.