A strange time to post on here I know, but it is definitely a strange time for us. It has been quite a while since I have been here, but I am back and I (we) need advice.
My girl was diagnosed with a grade 3 HER2+ 1.5cm carcinoma in May 2006. Just when we thought that we would be able to start preparing for a family. Long story short, here we are 18 months later after 6 FEC treatments and with 4 herceptin treatments left to go we have found out that my girl is pregnant.
This raises a huge moral question. What do we do? We have spoken to our onc. and have an appointment for 11th Jan. I know that he will not be pleased, and I can understand why as it certainly increases so many risks. We feel like a pair of naughty teenagers, not the married couple in our thirties that we are.
My question is this, does anyone here or anywhere know or have any experience of this kind of situation? We are so torn, as we want to do the right thing, as we are more than aware that we have another life to consider, both for their health implications and their Mum’s. But we can’t help ourselves, we decided on names long before any of this happened and are finding it difficult to stop ourselves from talking about what could be.
Unfortunately I have no good advice for you as I’ve never been in this situation. I just wanted to wish you both all the very very best with whatever you decide/have to do.
I really hope you have a lovely positive outcome - this is a time to be happy after all, but as I said I have no experience so am unaware of the risks concerned. I’m sorry !
I always thought the advice about pregnancy was as much to do with the fact that breast cancer is most likely to recur in the first five years after diagnosis as anything else.there. They don’t want to encourage you to get pregnant in case you are going to die of it.
There aren’t a lot of cases of women getting pregnant after breast cancer as it is a disease predominantly of women after the menopause. As far as I know they haven’t produced evidence that risks are any greater. Having said that, breast cancer is often hormone related and the body does produce more oestrogen at certain times. So the specialists are likely to err on the side of caution. Mike tomlinson writes of the dilemma of a pregnancy in The Luxury of Time - he was scared he would kill his wife by getting her pregnant, whereas she wanted another child. Jane tomlinson went on to have Stephen Tomlinson, was diagnosed three or so years later with terminal cancer, then died seven years later. but he was a really wanted child.
If you feel it would be helpful to talk to someone before your appointment on the 11th, please feel free to call our helpline for a chat to one of our specialist breast care nurses on 0808 800 6000. In addition, Breast Cancer Care have published a booklet called ‘Breast cancer and younger women’ which contains some information about pregnancy after a breast cancer diagnosis which you may also find helpful, you can read it online via the following link:
Think it best you take advice from oncologist but just wanted to write to wish you and your gf/wife all the love and luck in the world and here’s hoping you get your longed for baby and health and happiness for you all in the future. i don’t know about these things but perhaps you can just halt treatment for the duration of the pregnancy, anyway here’s hoping you have positive options and a wonderful outcome, you deserve it and shouldn’t feel remotely guilty or naughty teens!! Carrie xxx
If you want to continue with the pregnancy, you probably couldn’t continue with the herceptin as planned because there is a case in the medical literature of a women on herceptin having no amniotic fluid until she stopped herceptin. On the other hand, nobody knows what the ideal length of herceptin treatment is. The year was just a guess.
hubby, I googled “pregnant on herceptin” as I remember reading article not that long ago in Sun newspaper - story on the link below - if you google and read the other listings - as per usual opinions differ.
I had a miscarriage in May and was just about to start fertility treatment to try again when I was diagnosed in September. I have just turn 42 so felt I was really cutting it fine as it was. I’ll be 43 and a half by the time Herceptin is finished. I also get the impression that they like you to take tamoxifen for at least two years. I’ve kind of given up hope of having baby now.
You don’t say if your wife is taking tamoxifen?
I asked whether my pregnancy might have sparked the cancer. My oncologist said that being pregnant itself would not have increased the risk of getting cancer or escalated it. If what he says is true, then the risks you have to look at are the same as the risk of stopping treatment at this early stage.
I know I can’t really be of any help but I have often wondered what I would do if the same thing happened to me and the thought really frightens me.
I think, for me, it would be a case of getting as much information as possible from the oncologist, in terms of percentages and then calculating the risks.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful but I really do feel for you.
Wishing you all the best with this difficult decision.
Lorna X
Just wanted to add my best wishes to you both and wish you luck and wisdom in dealing with this. It’s perfectly understandable how much you want this. Your Onc is the only person who can advise you, but try not to feel like you’re ‘on the back foot’. A GP friend of mine told me that doctors are the worst for getting pregnant unexpectedly!
Warm wishes to you both, and offering up a prayer for you.
Jacquie
Can,t give you any advice but i just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world, its bad enough to have to deal with BC but this is such a heart wrenching decision for you both to have to make,
Love and good luck to the both of you. ***MIZZY***