Hi all, I was diagnosed with Stage 1a, Grade 3, ER+/PR+, HER2- breast cancer a week before my embryo implantation. I had gone through two IVF cycles. I was 41 when I was diagnosed, no family history, ate healthy, regularly exercised and otherwise was in perfect health. I'm convinced the fertility treatments I underwent caused my breast cancer. Infertility doctors will tell you that fertility treatments don't cause breast cancer, but if you have breast cancer, they can cause your breast cancer to grow. Oncologists, though, aren't so sure. I've had a few tell me fertily treatments caused my cancer by waking up dormant breast cancer cells that otherwise never would have been woken up and caused any harm. In other words, I disturbed the neighborhood by taking fertility drugs. Other oncologists have told me that the studies re: breast cancer and IVF are contradictory - meaning they just don't know. Recent studies have shown that fertility treatments are linked to higher breast density years down the line. Higher breast density is a risk factor for breast cancer. My logic is this: Hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills have been linked to increased breast cancer risk, so why not fertility treatments? All three expose you to higher levels of estrogen and progesterone than your body is used to. Infertility doctors are sales people. They aren't going to be completely upfront with you re: risks. My advice is to tread cautiously when considering fertility treatments.
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