Is Menstruation or the Serum Hormone Level a Useful Predictor for Live Birth after Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist during Chemotherapy in Young Breast Cancer Patients.

AIMS: The study aimed to investigate whether changes in menstruation or hormone levels are useful parameters to assess the efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist co-treatment with chemotherapy.

METHODS: This study included women in their reproductive age diagnosed with breast cancer and who received GnRH agonist during chemotherapy for ovarian protection. Women with treatment failure (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level >20 mIU/mL after at least 12 months and failure for becoming pregnant; n = 16) or with treatment success (becoming pregnant spontaneously and having a live birth; n = 20) were selected, and clinical characteristics, resumption of menstruation, and changes in hormone profiles were compared.

RESULTS: Resumption of menstruation was observed in 8 (50%) women and the time until resumption was significantly longer in the treatment failure group. Although levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and FSH at 3 and 6 months after chemotherapy did not differ between the groups, serum FSH levels were significantly higher in the treatment failure group at 12 months. However, levels of LH or estradiol were not different at each time point.

CONCLUSION: Changes in menstruation and FSH levels at 12 months or longer may be useful parameters to predict successful spontaneous pregnancy and live birth after GnRH agonist co-treatment for ovarian protection in young breast cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy.