Characterizing attitudes related to child-bearing in young women diagnosed with early breast cancer (EBC).

Authors

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Saumya Umashankar

University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

Saumya Umashankar, Moming Li, Mi-Ok Kim, Hope S. Rugo, Michelle E. Melisko, Melanie Majure, John Park, Laura Esserman, Amy Jo Chien

Organizations

University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, University of California, San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA

Research Funding

Other
Give Breast Cancer the Boot

Background: Young women diagnosed with breast cancer face unique challenges. The desire to have a biologic child (bchild) is often a factor in treatment decisions at diagnosis and follow-up. The aim of this study is to characterize the intentions, attitudes, and decision factors considered by young women who desire to have a bchild after a diagnosis of EBC. Methods: This prospective study included young women diagnosed with stage 1-3 EBC under age 45 who saw an oncologist at UCSF’s Breast Care Center (BCC). Young women < 6 months from diagnosis were invited to complete a baseline REDCap survey on fertility, child-bearing, and family-building. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses. Chi square and independent samples t tests were used to compare demographics. Covariates were analyzed using odds ratios. Results: From Feb 2018 to Dec 2020, 166 eligible pts seen at the UCSF BCC were contacted, 143 pts consented, and 108 (75.5%) completed the baseline survey. Of the 108 pts, 57 (53%) were interested in having a bchild in the future. Age was the biggest driver of whether participants were interested in future child-bearing vs. not (Mean = 35.4 vs 40.9, p < 0.001) and was not influenced by stage, receptor status, or treatment. 73.6% (N = 42) of those interested in future child-bearing underwent or planned to undergo fertility preservation (FP). FP was associated with full time employment (p = 0.03) and higher education (p = 0.02). Of the 57 pts interested in future child-bearing (42 HR+, 11 TN, 12 HER2+), 30% wished to start trying to conceive within 2 years from diagnosis, and only 20% would wait 5 years or more. 43% (N = 18) of those with HR+ disease were willing to complete 5 years of hormone therapy (HT) before trying to conceive. Given hypothetical risk scenarios of an incurable cancer recurrence, 16.3% of participants were interested in a future bchild despite a 75-100% hypothetical risk of recurrence (ROR). Young women self-identified as Asian were less inclined to pursue child-bearing with increasing risk (OR = 0.3 vs. Caucasian, p = 0.04), while BRCA-carriers were more likely to remain interested in future child-bearing despite increasing risk (OR = 6.43 vs. non-carriers, p = 0.03). 59% would stop adjuvant HT early if the hypothetical absolute increased ROR from early discontinuation was < 10%. Conclusions: In this single-institution study, over half of young women with EBC expressed a desire to have a future bchild. This was independent of stage, receptor status, and treatment; the majority of women wished to conceive < 5 years from diagnosis. The desire for a future bchild decreased with increasing hypothetical risk of incurable recurrence; however, a subset wished to attempt child-bearing even when an incurable recurrence was certain. Having a bchild after EBC is a priority for many young women and should be addressed at diagnosis and throughout the continuum of care.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session A: Cost, Value, and Policy; Health Equity and Disparities; Patient Experience

Track

Cost, Value, and Policy,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Patient Experience,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Communication and Shared Decision-Making Research

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 28; abstr 165)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2020.39.28_suppl.165

Abstract #

165

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures