Fertility preferences, concerns, and preservation among young women with breast cancer who carry germline genetic pathogenic variants compared with non-carriers.
Authors: Lewinsohn Rebecca M. , Zheng Yue , Rosenberg Shoshana M. , Ruddy Kathryn Jean , Tamimi Rulla , Schapira Lidia , Peppercorn Jeffrey M. , Borges Virginia F. , Come Steven E. , Snow Craig , Partridge Ann H. 
Published: June 2022

10607

Background: Young women with breast cancer who carry germline genetic pathogenic variants predisposing to breast and other cancers, including BRCA1 or BRCA2, may face unique challenges when making fertility decisions. Limited data exist on differences in fertility preferences, concerns, and preservation strategies between carriers and non-carriers. Methods: Participants in the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Study, a prospective cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer at ≤ 40 yrs, who completed a baseline survey with a modified Fertility Issues Survey were included in this analysis. Genetic variant status was determined by medical record review complemented by survey self-report. We excluded carriers whose test date was after baseline survey completion or unknown. Fisher exact and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively, between carriers and non-carriers. Results: Of 1052 eligible women, 118 (11%) tested positive for a pathogenic variant (59% BRCA1, 32% BRCA2, 4% TP53, and 5% other unique pathogenic mutations) and 934 (89%) tested negative or were not tested. Carriers’ median age was 36 yrs (range 23-40) vs 37 (range 17-40, p = 0.01) in non-carriers. Similar proportions (p = 0.67) of carriers (38%, [45/118]) and non-carriers (37%, [343/934]) desired more biologic children before diagnosis. Desire declined after diagnosis similarly in both groups (carriers, 25% [29/118] vs non-carriers, 26% [242/934], p = 0.46). Among these women (n = 271), concern about passing on cancer risk to offspring was common and, although numerically higher among carriers, this difference was not statistically significant (carriers, 55% [16/29] vs non-carriers, 40% [96/242], p = 0.12). In contrast, among those not interested in or unsure about future fertility (n = 738), concern about cancer risk heritability was infrequently reported as affecting fertility decisions (carriers, 11% [9/83] vs non-carriers, 9% [56/655], p = 0.54). The same proportions (p = 0.89) of carriers (36% [43/118]) and non-carriers (36% [339/934]) were somewhat or very concerned about becoming infertile after cancer treatment, and fertility preservation strategy utilization was similar between groups (carriers, 11% [13/118] vs non-carriers, 12% [111/934], p = 0.21). Conclusions: Young women with breast cancer who carry germline pathogenic variants are similarly concerned about future fertility and as likely to pursue fertility preservation as non-carriers. Concern about cancer risk heritability was common among both carriers and non-carriers desiring future fertility, suggesting a gap between perceived and actual risk. Genetic counseling should be included in fertility discussions for all young women with breast cancer, with tailored, risk-mitigating recommendations for those who carry genetic variants.