40-year-old woman defeats breast cancer and conceives naturally

Gurgaon : Doctors at CK Birla Hospital help 40-year-old woman conceive naturally after undergoing treatment for cancer. The patient (Mrs Seema Sharma) conceived naturally last year after successfully battling with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer (LABC).  She was treated with chemotherapy, breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy.

Since the cancer was limited to the local region and no evident metastasis was noted, the treatment helped her battle out cancer successfully. She was also successfully able to conceive naturally post cancer treatment ( 5 months ago) and is doing well without any pregnancy complications.

The case was taken up by a team of senior clinicians headed by *Dr.Rohan Khandelwal – Lead Consultant & HOD – The Breast Centre, CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon *

Briefing about the case, Dr. Rohan Khandelwal said, “In many cases after receiving breast cancer treatment, it becomes a hassle for the body to conceive naturally as the chemotherapy given to the patient kills the cells present inside the body. We advise patients to wait for at least 2 years post receiving treatment before trying to have a baby to render the effect of the chemotherapy. In this particular case, the patient was diagnosed with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer and was worried about her chances of conception due to her age, but our team was able to console her and explain the treatment options available. After taking consent from her family, she was taken up for rounds of chemotherapy, followed by breast cancer surgery, and radiation therapy to eliminate the cancerous cells in her body. She was able to conceive naturally without the need for any IVF treatment 5 months ago and is now doing well. Unmarried or Single breast cancer patients can also opt for preserving their eggs and embryos before receiving treatment so that they can get pregnant in the future.”

According to the recent reports by Globocan 2020, the prevalence of breast cancer is on the rise in the country with this type of cancer contributing to over 13.5% of the total cancer burden in India. A total of 1,78,361 new cases were reported in the country along with 90,408 patients losing their lives due to breast cancer.

Busting myths associated with Breast Cancer treatment, Dr. Rohan Khandelwal said, “It is a common misconception among the masses that women are bound to face fertility as well as issues in breastfeeding after suffering from breast cancer. However, that is not the case. With treatment modules like Surgery, Radiation Therapy, and Chemotherapy, we are now able to provide the best patient-centric treatment plan for patients suffering from breast cancer. They can conceive naturally without any post-op complications and can lead a normal life.”