Fertility Treatments + Cancer

I started my first round of BC yesterday.  How do I feel about this?  This time of the year is filled with pregnancies and new babies and I'm on BC.  Am I mad...sad? I guess a little of both.  I'm mad and sad at my body.  My body which is strong in so many ways, but has failed me in this one small area.  The little pill is just a daily reminder.  And, in the words of Forrest Gump, that's all I have to say about that...today :D

There has been buzz in the media about the possible relationship between cancer and fertility treatments.

Giuliana Rancic, (my fav E correspondent and fashionista) after numerous fertility treatments, recently was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.  When the news broke, I saw a discussion on CNN implying that if she wouldn't have done IVF, she wouldn't have gotten cancer.

According to this article from the WSJ, there is no proven link between fertility treatments and breast cancer.

Samantha Pfeifer, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania,  chairs the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s practice committee. She says breast cancer rates are higher among women who are older when they first get pregnant, so the disease “is something we deal with” in taking care of fertility patients, many of whom are in their late 30s.  But there is no evidence that the treatments themselves cause breast cancer, she says.

According to this CBS article:

Recommendations about undergoing fertility treatment are no different for women who have breast cancer risk factors. "As long as you don't have a cancer diagnosis," Litton tells WebMD, "at this point, there is no evidence that IVF will increase risk for patients with greater risk factors, even those with the BRCA gene mutation or family history.

Sure adding more hormones in concentrated forms may speed up cancer cell growth but I do not believe it causes cancer. But of course I'm not a Dr.. just an IF.

Giuliana and her husband Bill have been documenting their journey on a reality show, Giuliana and Bill, on the style network. The season premier is this Tues and I can't wait to watch!!

Cheers!