Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. Many women who have encountered this disease have successfully overcome it. When breast cancer is detected on early stage it can be completely cured. However, for every woman who has undergone therapy, the important question remains whether she will be able to bear and give birth to a child. Scientists and doctors are working on this problem, as more and more patients with breast cancer are still of reproductive age.

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What are the dangers of cancer treatment before pregnancy?

Today there is every opportunity to successfully combat this dangerous disease. Breast cancer is the most common type of tumor among women - more than 20% of the overall structure of cancer incidence. Every year, an increasing number of patients with a disappointing diagnosis have successful treatment results.

When breast cancer is detected at stages 1 - 2, the percentage of favorable prognosis is more than 85%. Thanks to modern methods and technology has every opportunity to overcome this disease.

But, unfortunately, these treatment methods have serious side effects. These include not only a weakening of the immune system and the body as a whole, but also a negative impact on the woman’s reproductive system. As a result, the patient becomes infertile.

Highly toxic treatments have bad influence in the following way:

• eggs are suppressed;
• the genetic material of germ cells is damaged;
• hormonal changes occur.

All these disorders are manifested by temporary infertility, which is restored after therapy and some period of rehabilitation. Sometimes there is a complete loss of reproductive function. Moreover, violations of the genetic apparatus of germ cells give a certain risk of developing terrible diseases. But the extent of the effects of radiation and chemotherapy depends on the treatment regimen, the size of the cancer tumor, the direction and dose of radiation.

In most cases, the only safe way to conceive and give birth to a healthy and full-fledged baby is cryopreservation of eggs before the start of anticancer therapy. Even in the event of a complete loss of reproductive capacity after treatment for breast cancer, this will allow embryos to grow and carry a pregnancy to term.

Is it possible to conceive after illness and after how long?

Having learned about the diagnosis, a woman does not immediately think about the possibility of having children after treatment. But after undergoing a full examination and prescribing a treatment regimen, and even a possible favorable prognosis, the question arises about the effect of treatment on the reproductive system. The oncologist should warn about the likely consequences.

If a woman plans to have children in the future, then to preserve this opportunity, she needs to freeze her eggs. This method has a number of advantages.

• You can take biomaterial during the natural ovulation cycle, without resorting to hormonal stimulation.
• The eggs have not yet been damaged by chemotherapy, hormone therapy or radiation therapy.
• Children conceived and born through a cryoprotocol do not differ in development from ordinary children.
• You can begin growing the embryo and subsequent transplantation into the uterus at any suitable time.
• Frozen eggs can be cryopreserved for as long as needed; there are known cases of successful pregnancies after 18 years of age.

Retrieval of eggs for freezing

This method will help you become parents even after a terrible diagnosis and struggle with it. But so far there are no exact international guidelines and rules for how long after a woman can start trying to get pregnant after being cured of breast cancer.

How long it will take the body to recover after treatment is difficult to answer. In addition, hormonal therapy can be carried out for a very long time, over several years. This can seriously interfere with bearing a healthy baby. IN this moment Research is being conducted into whether it is possible to temporarily stop hormone therapy during pregnancy and then resume it.

On the other hand, tiny particles of breast cancer could be carried through the bloodstream throughout the woman’s body. These cells can “sleep” all their lives and never make themselves known again.

Watch the video about pregnancy after breast cancer (fertility preservation, risks for mother and fetus):

But pregnancy is a special state of the body when all processes in the body are activated. At this time, everything is completely rebuilt to ensure the life of the mother and fetus. Therefore, pregnancy can become a powerful provoking factor for the recurrence of breast cancer. The danger is that a woman may not have time to bear a child, ruining two lives.

You need to start counting down the time when you can try to get pregnant after the last therapy. If you had stage 1-2 breast cancer that did not metastasize, you should start conceiving no earlier than five years later. If there was stage 3, then the period should increase to 7 - 10 years, and after therapy five years of stable remission should pass.

However, there are studies that show that women who give birth after breast cancer have a 41% lower risk of dying than those who do not become mothers again or even for the first time after such an illness.

Features of managing a woman after illness

Pregnancy after breast cancer requires careful monitoring by doctors. As mentioned above, conceiving naturally after a course of therapy becomes almost impossible or dangerous for the health of the unborn child.

Thus, a more effective method is after egg cryopreservation. This method is good because there will be no additional burden on the woman’s body in the form of hormonal support. But in some cases it can happen.

Be that as it may, children born after cured breast cancer do not have any pathologies, do not lag behind in development, and do not suffer from special health problems in the future.

If a woman becomes pregnant after treatment of a tumor, she must inform doctors about the illness she suffered. Accordingly, biochemistry tests and examination of the mammary glands should be performed at certain intervals. Otherwise, the management of the patient’s condition does not differ from usual.

It is important for women who become pregnant after treatment for breast cancer to know the following:

• The effects of radiation and chemotherapy on the fetus cannot be predicted.
• The components in drugs for the treatment of breast cancer do not yet have thorough results on the long-term effect on the body. Moreover, many of them can remain in a woman’s blood for several years and have a negative impact on the formation and development of the fetus, as well as provoke premature birth or.
• The risk of relapse during pregnancy exists, but is not mandatory.

What to do if cancer is detected during pregnancy

There are cases when, while carrying a child, a woman learns about a malignant tumor of the mammary gland. As a rule, the doctors' verdict is the same - abortion and immediate start of treatment. But sometimes the patient is ready to sacrifice her health for the sake of having a child. Then she wonders whether she can and will have time to bear it. In this case, it all depends on how aggressive the cancer is and what stage of pregnancy it is.

If a breast tumor is detected on early stages Most likely you will have to have an abortion. Even if a slowly developing cancer is detected, at stages 1–2, chemotherapy and radiation have an extremely negative effect on the development of the fetus. All this will lead to miscarriage or deformities in the child. In this case, maintaining the pregnancy is impossible.

Watch the video about pregnancy with cancer:

Also, pregnancy should not be allowed to continue if breast cancer is aggressive. The fact is that a woman may not live to see childbirth, and the child may die.

If the gestation period is more than 22 - 24 weeks, and the tumor itself is non-aggressive and is still at an early stage, then they usually wait until the fetus reaches an age at which it can already live outside the mother’s body. A woman undergoes a caesarean section premature baby They are placed in a special box and “grown” to the required condition, and the mothers begin treatment. In this case breastfeeding it cannot be certain.

We recommend reading the article about. From it you will learn about what problems mammoplasty solves, contraindications to it, when it can be done, the intricacies of the operation, ways to preserve the breast, as well as feeding the baby with a new bust.

And more about the boron uterus for conception and infertility treatment.

Pregnancy after breast cancer is quite possible. Today there are methods and medications with which women have a chance to become a mother even after such a terrible disease. However, there is always a risk of relapse and miscarriage. Pregnancy after breast cancer must be approached with all responsibility, maintaining a temporary distance.

Most frequent illnesses for which radiation therapy is prescribed are cervical oncology and lymph oncology. As a rule, radiation therapy is not the only method of treating cancer; to obtain a positive result, it is used directly in combination with other methods of combating cancer.

To prevent fluid retention in the body, you should limit your intake of salty foods and the amount of fluid you drink. The delay is due to the fact that during the course of therapy, hormonal levels change and the water-salt balance is disturbed. Therefore, you should follow a diet and follow all the instructions of a specialist.

Getting pregnant after radiation therapy

Doctors say everything ambiguously, my attending physician says you already have a child, so there is no need to take risks: (but at the same time, those who have not given birth are told that after 3-5 years of stable remission they can try!

Doctors say everything ambiguously, my attending physician says you already have a child, so there is no need to take risks: (but at the same time, those who have not given birth are told that after 3-5 years of stable remission they can try!

Why take the risk? It’s true, after all, there is already one child. Think, God forbid, then two children will remain orphans.

So, since my mother is a doctor, when all this horror happened, all sorts of professors from the city were brought in.

Now I’ve been in remission for 5 years, ugh ugh.

We visited all possible gynecologists, graduates of sciences and professors with the question of whether it was possible to give birth.

Everyone, everyone says - it’s impossible!

Firstly, there is a high probability that the disease will return and it is not a fact that this time you will be able to get out. Secondly, your eggs have already been irradiated and treated with chemotherapy; not a single doctor can assume that a healthy child will be born.

Only one doctor gave us hope and assured us that it would be possible to give birth in 5 years. She assured me until her relative with the same diagnosis died after giving birth.

Because having experienced this, you pay attention to similar cases, another example of a friend of mine. The same diagnosis, remission, pregnancy and everything started again - I had to have an abortion and again undergo radiation and chemotherapy.

My work colleague, with whom I worked side by side for many years, gave birth and died a year later from leukemia at the age of 29.

An example on the forum http://forum.littleone.ru/showthread.php?t=the girl who created this topic recently died, she had leukemia in childhood, and after her second birth there were irreversible metastases.

Sorry that I write terrible things, but are you really ready to risk leaving your existing child orphan, and the likelihood of this is too high.

Don't be offended if I'm harsh, but this topic is too painful for me, it brings tears to my eyes.

I can’t fully understand that my sister will never have children. But too much high risk, too much. You are luckier; you already have a child.

I'm not offended in any way!

Cancer is different, some of its forms are treatable. Good luck and health to you!

Pregnancy after cancer - chances, risks, prognosis

Some cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, have the potential to reduce fertility in a variety of ways. For some people, physical changes make it more difficult to conceive a child, while for others these changes lead to a complete and lasting decline in fertility. Although there are options available to protect a person's reproductive function during cancer treatment.

It is not always possible to completely preserve fertility during cancer treatment. However, in modern medicine and society, there are several ways to start or expand your family, even if your (or your partner's) fertility has suffered from the effects of cancer treatment.

Pregnancy after cancer: how to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy child?

Auxiliary reproduction:

Treating cancer with chemotherapy can reduce the number of eggs in a woman's ovaries (called ovarian reserve), making it difficult for her to have children naturally. If blood tests and ultrasounds show that a woman has hormonal imbalances or abnormalities in the functioning of the reproductive organs, a fertility specialist may use special assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (a process that involves collecting eggs and fertilizing them), to achieve pregnancy. them outside the body of a woman with cancer, for the purpose of further transfer of the embryo back into her body via IVF). It is important to take into account that in women who have had cancer, the egg reserve is greatly reduced, which can lead to early menopause. Therefore, you need to see a doctor as early as possible if you want pregnancy to occur after cancer.

Donor eggs:

If a woman's ovaries are damaged during cancer treatment (or if a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and undergoes partial or complete resection) resulting in early menopause, the patient who wishes to become a mother can use another woman's egg .

Donor eggs are fertilized in the laboratory using IVF methods. The fertilized egg (embryo) is then transferred into the uterus of the woman who wants to have a child. A woman's uterus should be healthy. Also, in order for the gestation process to proceed without complications and threats to the life of the mother and baby, the woman will have to use special hormonal drugs for the entire 9 months.

Egg donation at least gives at least one of the parents a chance to have a genetic connection with their child, which, you see, is better than having no offspring at all.

According to the law, a donor egg can belong to one of the relatives of the future parents, a family friend, or a woman from a legal donor agency, who must first donate everything necessary tests and is being assessed for mental health problems.

Surrogate and gestational carriers:

If a woman is unable to carry a child to term, or if pregnancy would jeopardize her health, the services of a surrogate mother (another woman who carries the child during pregnancy) can be used. This procedure is called surrogacy.

The procedure in which an embryo or fertilized egg is implanted into the cervix or uterus of a woman (being able to bear a child) by a man who will be the future father of the child is called artificial insemination. Since each country has different laws, you should always consult with an attorney before considering this option.

Adopting a child:

If you do not want to undergo the above medical procedures but still want to have a child, you may want to consider adoption. To clarify all the nuances, you should contact the adoption agency.

Pregnancy after oncology – questions for the doctor

Below we will consider all the options for questions, the answers to which you should definitely know if chemotherapy (or other oncology treatment methods) provoked infertility:

1. If infertility occurs after cancer, what are my options for becoming a parent?
2. What tests do I need to undergo to find out whether the reserve of healthy eggs was damaged during chemotherapy?
3. How can I confirm that I am infertile (infertile)?
4. Can you recommend a fertility specialist?
5. Can the use of hormonal drugs during pregnancy provoke a recurrence of cancer?
6. Which infertility clinics treat pregnancies after cancer?
7. How does my age affect my chances?
8. Where can I find out more about the cost of each option?
9. Questions at your own discretion.

If a woman has been diagnosed with cancer after childbirth or during pregnancy, we recommend that you read the article: “Cancer and pregnancy - effects on the fetus, diagnosis, treatment.”

One comment

I had radiation in 2008. cervical cancer. I can't have any more children. This is true? who can answer me?

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The information on the site is presented for informational purposes only! It is not recommended to use the described methods and recipes for treating cancer on your own and without consulting a doctor!

Many women, having undergone a course of chemotherapy during cancer treatment, are afraid to have children, believing that the child may take on a genetic predisposition to cancer or be born with abnormalities. Some people believe that pregnancy after chemotherapy is impossible due to reproductive problems.

Undoubtedly, chemotherapy drugs have a destructive effect on the female body, and in particular on the ability to conceive and bear children. But doctors note that the endometrium does not suffer, which means that the uterus is capable of receiving a fertilized egg. This increases the chance of bearing a healthy baby.

What effect does chemotherapy have on a woman’s organs?

• The function of the ovaries decreases or is lost completely, this is expressed in a decrease in the number of follicles that mature into an egg for further fertilization. If the follicles are destroyed, amenorrhea occurs and menstruation is absent. This may continue for several months, and then the cycle is restored and the woman is able to become pregnant again. The prognosis depends on the drugs used to treat oncology.
• The uterus practically does not suffer from chemotherapy, but its blood supply and ability to grow may be impaired, which cannot but affect the course of pregnancy. The woman does not become infertile, but there is a risk of being unable to bear a child. Pregnancy after chemotherapy is fraught with miscarriage or premature birth. A negative consequence may be placenta accreta or the baby being too light.

If the ability to become pregnant is lost, a woman can use other methods of conceiving a child.

Is it possible to get pregnant during chemotherapy?

Drugs used to treat oncology have different destructive effects on a woman’s body. This depends on the following factors:

• woman's age;
• type of medication and degree of toxicity;
• duration of chemotherapy course.

The main side effect after treatment is amenorrhea in younger girls menstrual cycle can recover, and in older women, as a rule, menopause occurs.

The effect of chemotherapy on a woman’s ability to conceive has not been fully studied; science cannot definitively say whether pregnancy will occur or not. Therefore, every woman of childbearing age undergoing treatment should take care of contraception. Pregnancy while undergoing chemotherapy is strictly not recommended. This is due to the following negative consequences:

• pathological development of the fetus or its death due to the toxic effects of heavy chemicals;
• When pregnancy occurs, the female body begins to rebuild and prepare for bearing a child, hormonal levels change, which can cause a sharp increase in malignant neoplasms and the appearance of metastases.

Therefore, during treatment, the doctor selects the method of contraception individually, but if pregnancy occurs, it must be terminated.

Pregnancy after chemotherapy

After undergoing a course of chemotherapy, not every woman will dare to give birth, especially since the risk of becoming infertile is very high. But still, many people wonder whether pregnancy is possible after chemotherapy. For many women reproductive function recovers over time, the period depends on many factors:

• localization and severity of oncology;
• types of drugs used for treatment;
• duration of treatment;
• state immune system and the body’s ability to recover;
• woman's age.

Based on average indicators, young and strong women recover in 3-5 years. A woman under 30 years of age is quite capable of conceiving a child and carrying it to term without resorting to auxiliary methods. Those who are over 30 years old may not recover, but are quite capable of giving birth to a baby using artificial insemination.

Chemotherapy in men

Treatment of oncology in men also includes courses of chemotherapy, which negatively affects the reproductive capabilities of the body, which is expressed in the following changes:

• The motility and number of sperm deteriorate significantly, which significantly reduces the ability to fertilize a female egg. Thus, a man can become infertile.
• The drugs used for treatment have a toxic effect on the germ cells, causing genetic changes in them. When a child is conceived, he or she can take on these cells; the birth of such children can result in deformity. The greatest negative impact on the reproductive function of men is exerted by such medications as: Cisplatin, Cyclophosphamide.
• Irradiation of cancer cells can also lead to male infertility, this is due to the fact that radiation therapy has a detrimental effect on sperm motility. In young men, recovery occurs after 1.5 – 2 years. If the irradiation was total, fertility may not be restored.

Oncology of the reproductive organs has a particularly negative effect on a man’s ability to fertilize female cells.

Side effects after chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs are administered intravenously and have a detrimental effect not only on cancer cells, but also on healthy ones. A patient undergoing chemotherapy feels unwell, but then improvement occurs, pathological cells are destroyed and the body begins to gradually recover.

Normal cells are affected to a lesser extent, this is due to the fact that pathological cells divide faster, and the drugs mainly affect them. In addition, healthy cells have the ability to recover, despite the side effects suffered:

• baldness, most often complete;
• development of osteoporosis;
• anemia;
• the most severe complication is leukemia;
• problems with the heart and blood vessels;
• nausea accompanied by vomiting;
• stomach and intestinal problems can cause complete loss of appetite;
• stool disorders;
• psychoemotional disorders;
• swelling;
• complete loss or temporary decrease in reproductive function;
• inflammation of the eyes, accompanied by lacrimation.

The severity of side effects after treatment with chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer, the age and body of the patient, as well as the composition of the medications. Chemotherapy does not always have a negative effect on a man's fertility or a woman's ability to bear children.

Men can be susceptible to psychosomatics; this often causes temporary impotence and loss of interest in intimacy. At such moments, it is very important to support the man morally; over time, sexual function can be fully restored. After a course of treatment for two years, a man must use barrier protection (condoms) to avoid conception and the birth of an underdeveloped child. Physical and mental abnormalities may not reveal themselves immediately, but may appear in a child after a few years.

When pregnancy occurs immediately after chemotherapy, a woman is usually offered an abortion; the risk of developing fetal pathologies and premature birth is too high.

How to restore reproductive function after chemotherapy?

Today there are modern methods to restore reproductive function. To eliminate disorders after radiation therapy and chemotherapy, special treatment is prescribed:

• taking antioxidants, which have the property of attracting toxins and removing them from the body; they are mainly found in fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as herbs;
• agonists that affect germ cells, inhibiting their function for the duration of treatment, so they are minimally exposed to chemicals;
• phytohormones to restore hormonal levels and the ability to conceive;
• herbs that restore egg maturation.

If the ability to conceive is lost, IVF can be used. The older a woman is, the fewer eggs in her body mature and the less likely she is to become pregnant. Therefore, before starting a course of chemotherapy, a woman is offered to preserve healthy eggs and save them until a favorable period for fertilization.

Male infertility does not always occur after a course of chemotherapy. In young men, fertility often returns spontaneously after a few months. If sperm are motile but unable to leave the testicles, surgical treatment is performed.

Some men agree to donate sperm for storage for later use to fertilize their wife's cells. Modern science has the opportunity to select the most mobile samples and apply them in the future.

An important aspect for restoring reproductive function is lifestyle, adequate nutrition, sleep and rest patterns, and the presence of positive emotions.

The risk of cancer in a child

Children born to parents with cancer are no more at risk of developing cancer than those born to healthy parents. A child can only genetically inherit a predisposition to cancer.

There are no registered cases of the development of cancerous tumors in children born from cured parents. But to conceive a healthy child, it is better to plan pregnancy 2-3 years after a course of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or radiation. These recommendations are related to the need to restore the body of women and men after taking highly toxic drugs.

Pregnancy after husband's radiation therapy

Maybe someone had a similar situation?

My husband underwent radiation therapy, and after 6-7 months I became pregnant. The prenatologist said that this is not a direct contraindication to B., because In men, spermatogenesis occurs within 3 months, which means complete renewal of germ cells (spermatozoa) has occurred. But just in case, he sends me to a geneticist. In Kemerovo, as far as I know, we don’t have a good geneticist. And I was already being driven to see doctors, and I was already tired of telling them at what age my periods started, and what illnesses my relatives had! Each specialist considers it his duty to schedule a repeat test and only after that declare that everything is in order.

In general, girls who have visited a geneticist, is it worth going to him or is it a waste of time?

Chat for moms

You are missing here!

To be honest, I wouldn't go. True, wait for the ultrasound. Otherwise, you will be prescribed a bunch of the same tests again (half of them are paid). It seems to me that you are doing well!

The spermatogenesis cycle actually lasts about 3 months, but gamma rays unfortunately also affect the ultrastructure of immature precursors.

They irradiated the head and covered the whole body with lead. Do you know if these rays could still reach the germ cells?

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We will tell you what will happen to your future baby and you in each of the forty weeks.

Pregnancy after chemotherapy

Pregnancy after chemotherapy

Having survived cancer, many patients are aware of the negative effects of chemotherapy and are subsequently afraid of becoming pregnant, citing the child’s possible predisposition to cancer, developmental disorders and congenital defects. Also, patients’ fear of losing their child in utero deprives them of the most important emotional well-being - being parents.

Many women, not receiving complete information about conception, pregnancy and birth after or during treatment, decide to terminate their pregnancy.

The effect of chemotherapy on reproductive capabilities

The cytotoxic (destructive) effect of chemotherapy and surgery can cause disorders reproductive health, reducing the chances of conception and carrying an embryo.

The chemotherapy performed affects the following female organs:

• Ovaries. Temporary or permanent loss of ovarian function is expressed in a decrease in the number of follicles (eggs surrounded by several layers of epithelium) that mature during menstruation and become ready for fertilization. The destruction of maturing follicles leads to amenorrhea (absence of the menstrual cycle for several months or more). The severity depends on the chemotherapy drugs used. Alkylating drugs are especially dangerous;
• Uterus. There are no reliable sources about the detrimental effect on favorable conditions for fertilization and bearing a child, but still, there are suggestions of partial damage in the form of impaired blood flow in the uterus and its growth dynamics. You can get pregnant, but there is a risk of miscarriage, the onset of labor at 22–37 weeks, placenta accreta, and low birth weight of the baby.

The ability to become pregnant, depending on the severity of the reproductive dysfunction, can be preserved thanks to certain methods:

• cryopreservation – freezing of fertilized eggs, embryos, ovarian tissue, sperm.

How long do side effects last after chemotherapy?

Pregnancy during chemotherapy

Pregnancy after chemotherapy is possible, but the question is: how long does the body need to restore reproductive abilities?

The process of restoring all cells damaged during the use of one of the cancer treatment methods with chemotherapy begins almost immediately after its completion. Side effects disappear after the complete restoration of cell functions, but the duration of this process is determined individually.

It depends on the following factors:

• antitumor drugs taken;
• general health before drug treatment for cancer.

If the reproductive and respiratory organs, heart, and kidneys are damaged after chemotherapy, side effects can last up to several years, and the manifestations side effects not possible immediately.

Every cancer patient who dreams of having children must be convinced of the effectiveness of treatment, since modern medicine has made such progress that the effectiveness of chemotherapy on cancer-damaged cells has increased, and the risk of negative effects on healthy cells has decreased.

Opportunities for cancer patients to have children

Typically, cancer center specialists do not recommend that women with cancer become pregnant after chemotherapy for some time, advising them to use contraceptives until reproductive function is fully restored. But there are still opportunities to have children, and there are three of them:

• postponing chemotherapy;
• usage modern technologies ICSI for egg maturation in vitro;
• removal of the ovaries and their preservation during the woman’s treatment.

Breast cancer during pregnancy

The third stage of breast cancer requires treatment with additional methods - chemotherapy or radiation therapy, hormone therapy, so doctors recommend postponing pregnancy for 5 years. Such a long pause is explained by a possible recurrence of the cancer and major complications during pregnancy. If the size of the tumor was small and the spread of metastases was initial, then the woman may be allowed to have children earlier than after 5 years.

Breast cancer and pregnancy can exist together, and treatment of the tumor has two options:

• Carrying out chemotherapy. A course of antitumor drugs is contraindicated in the 1st and 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Allowed in the 3rd trimester only with the agreement of the patient and her relatives, since complications of one degree or another are inevitable;
• Artificial termination of pregnancy or early delivery, and then treatment.

Male childbearing after chemotherapy

A man who has undergone chemotherapy does not suffer from loss of fertility. less than a woman, since treatment can result not only in short-term infertility, but also in complete infertility.

During chemotherapy, sperm quality is greatly deteriorated due to the destruction of spermatogonia, which are responsible for the functionality and development of sperm.

A man about to undergo chemotherapy is offered an alternative solution to the problem - storing (freezing) sperm or spermatogonia. Last option more acceptable to young people who have not reached puberty, but this method has not yet been fully explored. There is a possible risk of spermatogonia mutation or relapse of cancer cells after re-implantation into the body.

If you want not to lose the function of childbearing, both men and women are advised to notify the attending physician who prescribes chemotherapy. Before anticancer drugs have a negative effect on the entire body, and specifically on the reproductive system, it will be possible to preserve healthy eggs and sperm for IVF (in vitro fertilization) or surrogacy.

To rid the fetus of the negative effects of chemotherapy, condoms should be used and the end date for their use is prescribed only by the attending physician.

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You need to contact a dermatologist and surgeon. Treatment methods may vary depending on what your case is. These lesions are usually treated with cauterization, surgical excision, or radiation. .

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Hello, Daria.

Radiation therapy and pregnancy

Radiation therapy, like treatment with chemical anticancer drugs, always has a destructive effect not only on sick, but also on physiologically healthy tissues of the body. Treatment is primarily aimed at suppressing the activity or destroying cells with a high ability to divide. Such cells include not only dangerous cancer cells, but also blood, mucous, gastrointestinal, and reproductive cells.

If we talk about the male body, those treatment methods that are used for cancer patients, due to the negative impact on reproductive cells, can cause short-term or persistent infertility. Therapy causes a deterioration in the quality of seminal fluid, therefore, immediately at the time of treatment, all patients are advised to take precautions and use contraception.

When planning a pregnancy after radiation therapy, precautions must be taken. If minimal doses of exposure were used during treatment, cell renewal occurs within 3 months after treatment. With increased radiation doses, oncologists say that pregnancy planning can occur no earlier than 2 years after last year treatment. The localization of cancer cells is also important, because the effect of radiation therapy is local, i.e. Not the entire body is irradiated, but only the area in which pathogenic cells are present.

Your attending physician and reproductive medicine doctor should tell you in more detail about the possibility of planning a pregnancy, because after such serious therapeutic measures, pregnancy planning is best carried out exclusively under the supervision of experienced doctors.

Reproductive capabilities of men after radiation therapy

The prognosis, unfortunately, is disappointing: most men are diagnosed with complete sterility after radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Spermatozoa are so sensitive to these types of influence that many simply die. This is why many men undergoing treatment for cancer donate semen samples to special storage banks. If complete infertility is observed after treatment, then you can use those sperm samples that have been stored in a cryobank for several years.

There is also a category of men whose reproductive function is restored within a year or two, although initially after radiation therapy they were diagnosed with complete infertility. Spontaneous restoration of sexual activity occurs in men young(up to about 30 years old), but sometimes positive results can also be achieved through surgical treatment.

In answer to your question, we cannot help but say that without the help of a reproductive medicine doctor, a good oncologist and special tests of your partner’s seminal fluid, it is impossible to say anything for sure. Conception is possible, as mentioned earlier, after 3 months. And sometimes years can be wasted to achieve a positive result.

Sincerely, Natalia.

Thank you

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!

Contraindications for radiation therapy

Despite the effectiveness radiotherapy ( radiation therapy) in the treatment of tumor diseases, there are a number of contraindications that limit the use of this technique.

Radiotherapy is contraindicated:

• In case of dysfunction of vital organs. During radiation therapy, the body will be exposed to a certain dose of radiation, which can negatively affect the functions of various organs and systems. If the patient already has severe diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, hormonal or other body systems, radiotherapy may aggravate his condition and lead to the development of complications.

• With severe exhaustion of the body. Even with highly precise radiation therapy, a certain dose of radiation reaches and damages healthy cells. To recover from such damage, cells need energy. If the patient’s body is exhausted ( for example, due to damage to internal organs by tumor metastases), radiotherapy may cause more harm than good.
• For anemia. Anemia – pathological condition, characterized by a decrease in the concentration of red blood cells ( red blood cells). When exposed to ionizing radiation, red blood cells can also be destroyed, which will lead to the progression of anemia and may cause complications.
• If radiotherapy has already been performed recently. In this case, we are not talking about repeated courses of radiation treatment for the same tumor, but about the treatment of a different tumor. In other words, if a patient has been diagnosed with cancer of any organ, and radiotherapy was prescribed for its treatment, if another cancer is detected in another organ, radiotherapy cannot be used for at least 6 months after the end of the previous course of treatment. This is explained by the fact that in this case the total radiation exposure to the body will be too high, which can lead to the development of serious complications.
• In the presence of radioresistant tumors. If the first courses of radiation therapy did not give absolutely no positive effect ( that is, the tumor did not decrease in size or even continued to grow), further irradiation of the body is inappropriate.
• If complications develop during treatment. If during a course of radiotherapy the patient experiences complications that pose an immediate danger to his life ( for example bleeding), treatment should be discontinued.
• In the presence of systemic inflammatory diseases (for example, systemic lupus erythematosus). The essence of these diseases is the increased activity of immune system cells against their own tissues, which leads to the development of chronic inflammatory processes in them. Exposure of such tissues to ionizing radiation increases the risk of complications, the most dangerous of which may be the formation of a new malignant tumor.
• If the patient refuses treatment. According to current legislation, no radiation procedure can be performed until the patient gives written consent.

Compatibility of radiation therapy and alcohol

During radiation therapy, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol, as this can negatively affect the general condition of the patient.

There is a popular belief that ethanol ( ethyl alcohol, which is the active component of all alcoholic beverages) is able to protect the body from the damaging effects of ionizing radiation, and therefore it should be used during radiotherapy. Indeed, a number of studies have found that the introduction of high doses of ethanol into the body increases tissue resistance to radiation by approximately 13%. This is due to the fact that ethyl alcohol disrupts the flow of oxygen into the cell, which is accompanied by a slowdown in the processes of cell division. And the slower a cell divides, the higher its resistance to radiation.

At the same time, it is important to note that in addition to minor positive effects, ethanol also has a number of negative effects. For example, an increase in its concentration in the blood leads to the destruction of many vitamins, which themselves were radioprotectors ( that is, they protected healthy cells from the damaging effects of ionizing radiation). Moreover, many studies have shown that chronic consumption of alcohol in large quantities also increases the risk of developing malignant neoplasms ( in particular tumors of the respiratory system and gastrointestinal tract). Considering the above, it follows that drinking alcohol during radiation therapy causes more harm to the body than good.

Is it possible to smoke during radiation therapy?

Smoking is strictly prohibited during radiation therapy. The fact is that tobacco smoke contains many toxic substances ( ethers, alcohols, resins and so on). Many of them have a carcinogenic effect, that is, upon contact with the cells of the human body, they contribute to the occurrence of mutations, the outcome of which can be the development of a malignant tumor. It has been scientifically proven that smokers have a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer and bladder cancer.

Taking into account the above, it follows that patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer of any organ are strictly prohibited not only from smoking, but also from being near people who smoke, since carcinogens inhaled during this process can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment and contribute to the development of the tumor.

Is it possible to perform radiation therapy during pregnancy?

Radiation therapy during pregnancy can cause intrauterine damage to the fetus. The fact is that the effect of ionizing radiation on any tissue depends on the speed at which cell division occurs in this tissue. The faster the cells divide, the more pronounced the damaging effects of radiation will be. During intrauterine development, the most intense growth of absolutely all tissues and organs of the human body is observed, which is due to the high rate of cell division in them. Consequently, even when exposed to relatively low doses of radiation, the tissues of a growing fetus can be damaged, which will lead to disruption of the structure and functions of internal organs. The outcome depends on the stage of pregnancy at which radiation therapy was performed.

During the first trimester of pregnancy, the laying and formation of all internal organs and tissues occurs. If at this stage the developing fetus is irradiated, this will lead to the appearance of pronounced anomalies, which are often incompatible with further existence. This triggers a natural “protective” mechanism, which leads to the cessation of fetal activity and spontaneous abortion ( I'll have a miscarriage).

During the second trimester of pregnancy, most internal organs are already formed, so intrauterine fetal death after irradiation is not always observed. At the same time, ionizing radiation can provoke developmental anomalies of various internal organs ( brain, bones, liver, heart, genitourinary system and so on). Such a child may die immediately after birth if the resulting anomalies turn out to be incompatible with life outside the womb.

If exposure occurs during the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby may be born with certain developmental abnormalities that may persist throughout life.

Considering the above, it follows that it is not recommended to perform radiation therapy during pregnancy. If a patient is diagnosed with cancer early in pregnancy ( up to 24 weeks) and radiotherapy is required, the woman is offered an abortion ( abortion) for medical reasons, after which treatment is prescribed. If cancer is detected more than later, further tactics are determined depending on the type and speed of tumor development, as well as on the wishes of the mother. Most often, such women undergo surgical removal of the tumor ( if possible - for example, for skin cancer). If the treatment does not give positive results, you can induce labor or perform a delivery operation at an earlier date ( after 30 – 32 weeks of pregnancy), and then begin radiation therapy.

Is it possible to sunbathe after radiation therapy?

Sunbathing in the sun or in a solarium is not recommended for at least six months after completing a course of radiotherapy, as this can lead to the development of a number of complications. The fact is that when exposed to solar radiation, many mutations occur in skin cells, which can potentially lead to the development of cancer. However, as soon as a cell mutates, the body's immune system immediately notices this and destroys it, as a result of which cancer does not develop.

During radiation therapy, the number of mutations in healthy cells ( including in the skin through which ionizing radiation passes) can increase significantly, which is due to the negative effect of radiation on the genetic apparatus of the cell. At the same time, the load on the immune system increases significantly ( she has to fight big amount mutated cells at the same time). If a person begins to tan in the sun, the number of mutations may increase so much that the immune system cannot cope with its function, as a result of which the patient may develop a new tumor ( for example skin cancer).

What are the dangers of radiation therapy? consequences, complications and side effects)?

During radiotherapy, a number of complications may develop, which may be associated with the effect of ionizing radiation on the tumor itself or on healthy tissues of the body.

Hair loss

Hair loss in the scalp area is observed in most patients who have undergone radiation treatment for tumors in the head or neck area. The cause of hair loss is damage to the cells of the hair follicle. Under normal conditions, it is division ( reproduction) of these cells and determines hair growth in length.
When exposed to radiotherapy, cell division of the hair follicle slows down, as a result of which the hair stops growing, its root weakens and it falls out.

It is worth noting that when other parts of the body are irradiated ( such as legs, chest, back and so on) hair may fall out of the area of ​​the skin through which a large dose of radiation is delivered. After the end of radiation therapy, hair growth resumes on average within a few weeks to months ( if no irreversible damage to the hair follicles occurred during treatment).

Burns after radiation therapy ( radiation dermatitis, radiation ulcer)

When exposed to high doses of radiation, certain changes occur in the skin, which in appearance resemble a burn clinic. In fact, there is no thermal damage to tissues ( like a real burn) is not observed in this case. The mechanism of burn development after radiotherapy is as follows. When skin is irradiated, small blood vessels are damaged, resulting in disruption of microcirculation of blood and lymph in the skin. The delivery of oxygen to the tissues is reduced, which leads to the death of some cells and their replacement with scar tissue. This, in turn, further disrupts the oxygen delivery process, thereby supporting the development of the pathological process.

Skin burns may appear:

• Erythema. This is the least dangerous manifestation of radiation skin damage, in which there is dilation of superficial blood vessels and redness of the affected area.
• Dry radiation dermatitis. In this case, an inflammatory process develops in the affected skin. At the same time, many biologically active substances enter the tissues from the dilated blood vessels, which act on special nerve receptors, causing a sensation of itching ( burning, irritation). In this case, scales may form on the surface of the skin.
• Wet radiation dermatitis. With this form of the disease, the skin swells and may become covered with small blisters filled with clear or cloudy liquid. After opening the blisters, small ulcerations form that do not heal for a long time.
• Radiation ulcer. Characterized by necrosis ( death) parts of the skin and deeper tissues. The skin in the area of ​​the ulcer is extremely painful, and the ulcer itself does not heal for a long time, which is due to impaired microcirculation in it.
• Radiation skin cancer. The most severe complication after radiation burn. The formation of cancer is facilitated by cellular mutations resulting from radiation exposure, as well as prolonged hypoxia ( lack of oxygen), developing against the background of microcirculation disorders.
• Skin atrophy. It is characterized by thinning and dry skin, hair loss, impaired sweating and other changes in the affected area of ​​the skin. The protective properties of atrophied skin are sharply reduced, resulting in an increased risk of developing infections.

Itchy skin

As mentioned earlier, exposure to radiation therapy leads to disruption of blood microcirculation in the skin area. In this case, the blood vessels dilate, and the permeability of the vascular wall increases significantly. As a result of these phenomena, the liquid part of the blood passes from the bloodstream into the surrounding tissues, as well as many biologically active substances, which include histamine and serotonin. These substances irritate specific nerve endings located in the skin, resulting in an itching or burning sensation.

To eliminate skin itching, antihistamines can be used, which block the effects of histamine at the tissue level.

Edema

The occurrence of edema in the legs can be caused by the effects of radiation on the tissues of the human body, especially when irradiating abdominal tumors. The fact is that during irradiation, damage to the lymphatic vessels can be observed, through which, under normal conditions, lymph flows from the tissues and flows into the bloodstream. Impaired lymph outflow can lead to the accumulation of fluid in the tissues of the legs, which will be the direct cause of the development of edema.

Skin swelling during radiotherapy can also be caused by exposure to ionizing radiation. In this case, there is an expansion of the blood vessels of the skin and sweating of the liquid part of the blood into the surrounding tissue, as well as a violation of the outflow of lymph from the irradiated tissue, as a result of which edema develops.

At the same time, it is worth noting that the occurrence of edema may not be associated with the effects of radiotherapy. For example, in advanced cases of cancer, metastases may occur ( distant tumor foci) in various organs and tissues. These metastases ( or the tumor itself) can compress blood and lymphatic vessels, thereby disrupting the outflow of blood and lymph from tissues and provoking the development of edema.

Pain

Pain during radiation therapy can occur in case of radiation damage to the skin. At the same time, in the area of ​​the affected areas there is a violation of blood microcirculation, which leads to oxygen starvation cells and damage to nerve tissue. All this is accompanied by the occurrence of severe pain, which patients describe as “burning”, “unbearable” pain. This pain syndrome cannot be eliminated with conventional painkillers, and therefore patients are prescribed other treatment procedures ( medicinal and non-medicinal). Their goal is to reduce swelling of affected tissues, as well as restore the patency of blood vessels and normalize microcirculation in the skin. This will help improve the delivery of oxygen to the tissues, which will reduce the severity or completely eliminate pain.

Damage to the stomach and intestines ( nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, diarrhea, constipation)

The cause of dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract ( Gastrointestinal tract) there may be too much radiation dose ( especially when irradiating tumors of internal organs). In this case, there is damage to the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, as well as a violation of the nervous regulation of intestinal peristalsis ( motor skills). In more severe cases, inflammatory processes may develop in the gastrointestinal tract ( gastritis - inflammation of the stomach, enteritis - inflammation of the small intestine, colitis - inflammation of the large intestine, and so on) or even ulcers form. The process of moving intestinal contents and digesting food will be disrupted, which can cause the development of various clinical manifestations.

Damage to the gastrointestinal tract during radiation therapy can manifest itself:

• Nausea and vomiting– associated with delayed gastric emptying due to impaired gastrointestinal motility.
• Diarrhea ( diarrhea) – occurs due to inadequate digestion of food in the stomach and intestines.
• Constipation– can occur with severe damage to the mucous membrane of the large intestine.
• Tenesmus– frequent, painful urge to defecate, during which nothing is released from the intestines ( or does not stand out a large number of mucus without feces).
• The appearance of blood in the stool– this symptom may be associated with damage to the blood vessels of the inflamed mucous membranes.
• Abdominal pain– occur due to inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach or intestines.

Cystitis

Cystitis is an inflammatory lesion of the mucous membrane of the bladder. The cause of the disease may be radiation therapy performed to treat a tumor of the bladder itself or other pelvic organs. On initial stage development of radiation cystitis, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed and swollen, but in the future ( as the radiation dose increases) it atrophies, that is, it becomes thinner and wrinkles. In this case, its protective properties are violated, which contributes to the development of infectious complications.

Clinically, radiation cystitis may manifest itself as a frequent urge to urinate ( during which a small amount of urine is released), the appearance of a small amount of blood in the urine, periodic increases in body temperature, and so on. In severe cases, ulceration or necrosis of the mucous membrane may occur, which may lead to the development of a new cancerous tumor.

Treatment of radiation cystitis involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs ( to eliminate symptoms of the disease) and antibiotics ( to combat infectious complications).

Fistulas

Fistulas are pathological channels through which various hollow organs can communicate with each other or with the environment. The causes of fistula formation can be inflammatory lesions of the mucous membranes of internal organs that develop during radiation therapy. If such lesions are not treated, over time deep ulcers form in the tissues, which gradually destroy the entire wall of the affected organ. The inflammatory process can spread to the tissue of a neighboring organ. Ultimately, the tissues of the two affected organs are “soldered” together, and a hole is formed between them through which their cavities can communicate.

During radiation therapy, fistulas can form:

• between the esophagus and trachea ( or large bronchi);
• between the rectum and vagina;
• honey of the rectum and bladder;
• between intestinal loops;
• between the intestines and the skin;
• between the bladder and the skin and so on.

Lung damage after radiation therapy ( pneumonia, fibrosis)

With prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation, inflammatory processes can develop in the lungs ( pneumonia, pneumonitis). In this case, ventilation of the affected areas of the lungs will be disrupted and fluid will begin to accumulate in them. This will manifest itself as a cough, a feeling of shortness of breath, chest pain, and sometimes hemoptysis ( producing a small amount of blood in sputum when coughing).

If these pathologies are not treated, over time this will lead to the development of complications, in particular to the replacement of normal lung tissue with scar or fibrous tissue ( that is, to the development of fibrosis). Fibrous tissue is impermeable to oxygen, as a result of which its growth will be accompanied by the development of oxygen deficiency in the body. The patient will begin to experience a feeling of lack of air, and the frequency and depth of his breathing will increase ( that is, shortness of breath will appear).

If pneumonia develops, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs are prescribed, as well as agents that improve blood circulation in the lung tissue and thereby prevent the development of fibrosis.

Cough

Cough is a common complication of radiation therapy in cases where rib cage. In this case, ionizing radiation affects the mucous membrane of the bronchial tree, as a result of which it becomes thinner and dry. At the same time, its protective functions are significantly weakened, which increases the risk of developing infectious complications. During the process of breathing, dust particles, which usually settle on the surface of the moist mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, can penetrate into the smaller bronchi and get stuck there. At the same time, they will irritate special nerve endings, which will activate the cough reflex.

Expectorants may be prescribed to treat cough during radiation therapy ( increasing mucus production in the bronchi) or procedures that promote hydration of the bronchial tree ( for example, inhalations).

Bleeding

Bleeding can develop as a result of the effect of radiotherapy on a malignant tumor growing into large blood vessels. During radiation therapy, the size of the tumor may decrease, which may be accompanied by thinning and a decrease in the strength of the wall of the affected vessel. A rupture of this wall will lead to bleeding, the location and volume of which will depend on the location of the tumor itself.

At the same time, it is worth noting that the cause of bleeding can also be the effect of radiation on healthy tissue. As mentioned earlier, when healthy tissues are irradiated, blood microcirculation is disrupted. As a result, the blood vessels can dilate or even become damaged, and some of the blood will be released into the environment, which can cause bleeding. According to the described mechanism, bleeding can develop due to radiation damage to the lungs, mucous membranes of the oral cavity or nose, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary organs, and so on.

Dry mouth

This symptom develops when tumors located in the head and neck area are irradiated. In this case, ionizing radiation affects the salivary glands ( parotid, sublingual and submandibular). This is accompanied by a disruption in the production and release of saliva into the oral cavity, as a result of which its mucous membrane becomes dry and hard.

Due to lack of saliva, taste perception is also impaired. This is explained by the fact that in order to determine the taste of a particular product, particles of the substance must be dissolved and delivered to the taste buds located deep in the papillae of the tongue. If there is no saliva in the oral cavity, the food product cannot reach the taste buds, as a result of which a person’s taste perception is disrupted or even distorted ( the patient may constantly experience a bitter feeling or a metallic taste in the mouth).

Dental damage

During radiation therapy for oral tumors, teeth darken and their strength is impaired, as a result of which they begin to crumble or even break. Also due to impaired blood supply to the dental pulp ( the inner tissue of the tooth, consisting of blood vessels and nerves) the metabolism in the teeth is disrupted, which increases their fragility. Moreover, disruption of saliva production and blood supply to the oral mucosa and gums leads to the development of oral infections, which also adversely affects dental tissue, contributing to the development and progression of caries.

Temperature increase

An increase in body temperature can be observed in many patients both during the course of radiation therapy and for several weeks after its completion, which is considered absolutely normal. At the same time, sometimes an increase in temperature may indicate the development of severe complications, as a result of which, if this symptom appears, it is recommended to consult with your doctor.

An increase in temperature during radiation therapy may be due to:

• The effectiveness of treatment. During the destruction of tumor cells, various biologically active substances are released from them, which enter the blood and reach the central nervous system, where they stimulate the thermoregulation center. The temperature can rise to 37.5 - 38 degrees.
• The effects of ionizing radiation on the body. When tissues are irradiated, a large amount of energy is transferred to them, which can also be accompanied by a temporary increase in body temperature. Moreover, a local increase in skin temperature may be due to the expansion of blood vessels in the area of ​​irradiation and the influx of “hot” blood into them.
• The main disease. With most malignant tumors, patients experience a constant increase in temperature to 37 - 37.5 degrees. This phenomenon may persist throughout the course of radiotherapy, as well as for several weeks after the end of treatment.
• Development of infectious complications. When the body is irradiated, its protective properties are significantly weakened, as a result of which the risk of infections increases. The development of infection in any organ or tissue may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature to 38 - 39 degrees and above.

Decrease in leukocytes and hemoglobin in the blood

After radiation therapy, there may be a decrease in the concentration of leukocytes and hemoglobin in the patient’s blood, which is associated with the effect of ionizing radiation on the red bone marrow and other organs.

Under normal conditions, leukocytes ( cells of the immune system that protect the body from infections) are formed in the red bone marrow and lymph nodes, after which they are released into the peripheral bloodstream and perform their functions there. Red blood cells are also produced in the red bone marrow ( red blood cells), which contain the substance hemoglobin. It is hemoglobin that has the ability to bind oxygen and transport it to all tissues of the body.

Radiation therapy may expose the red bone marrow to radiation, causing cell division to slow down. In this case, the rate of formation of leukocytes and red blood cells may be disrupted, as a result of which the concentration of these cells and the level of hemoglobin in the blood will decrease. After cessation of radiation exposure, normalization of peripheral blood parameters can occur within several weeks or even months, which depends on the received dose of radiation and the general condition of the patient’s body.

Menstruation during radiation therapy

The regularity of the menstrual cycle may be disrupted during radiation therapy, depending on the area and intensity of radiation.

The period may be affected by:

• Irradiation of the uterus. In this case, there may be a violation of blood circulation in the area of ​​the uterine mucosa, as well as increased bleeding. This may be accompanied by the release of large amounts of blood during menstruation, the duration of which may also be increased.
• Irradiation of the ovaries. Under normal conditions, the course of the menstrual cycle, as well as the appearance of menstruation, is controlled by female sex hormones produced in the ovaries. When these organs are irradiated, their hormone-producing function may be disrupted, as a result of which various menstrual cycle disorders may occur ( until the disappearance of menstruation).
• Irradiation of the head. In the head area is the pituitary gland, a gland that controls the activity of all other glands of the body, including the ovaries. When the pituitary gland is irradiated, its hormone-producing function may be disrupted, which will lead to dysfunction of the ovaries and disruption of the menstrual cycle.

Can cancer recur after radiation therapy?

Relapse ( re-development of the disease) can be observed during radiation therapy for any form of cancer. The fact is that during radiotherapy, doctors irradiate various tissues of the patient’s body, trying to destroy all the tumor cells that could be located in them. At the same time, it is worth remembering that it is never possible to exclude the possibility of metastasis 100%. Even with radical radiation therapy performed according to all the rules, 1 single tumor cell can survive, as a result of which over time it will again turn into a malignant tumor. That is why, after completing the treatment course, all patients should be regularly examined by a doctor. This will allow a possible relapse to be identified in time and promptly treated, thereby prolonging a person’s life.

A high likelihood of relapse may be indicated by:

• presence of metastases;
• tumor growth into neighboring tissues;
• low effectiveness of radiotherapy;
• late start of treatment;
• incorrect treatment;
• exhaustion of the body;
• presence of relapses after previous courses of treatment;
• non-compliance by the patient with the doctor's recommendations ( If the patient continues to smoke, drink alcohol or be exposed to direct sunlight during treatment, the risk of cancer recurrence increases several times).

Is it possible to get pregnant and have children after radiation therapy?

The effect of radiation therapy on the possibility of bearing a fetus in the future depends on the type and location of the tumor, as well as on the dose of radiation received by the body.

The possibility of bearing and giving birth to a child may be affected by:

• Irradiation of the uterus. If the purpose of radiotherapy was to treat a large tumor of the body or cervix, at the end of treatment the organ itself may be so deformed that pregnancy cannot develop.
• Irradiation of the ovaries. As mentioned earlier, with tumor or radiation damage to the ovaries, the production of female sex hormones may be disrupted, as a result of which a woman will not be able to become pregnant and/or bear a fetus on her own. At the same time, hormone replacement therapy can help solve this problem.
• Pelvic irradiation. Irradiation of a tumor that is not associated with the uterus or ovaries, but is located in the pelvic cavity, can also create difficulties when planning a pregnancy in the future. The fact is that as a result of radiation exposure, the mucous membrane of the fallopian tubes can be damaged. As a result of this, the process of fertilization of the egg ( female reproductive cell) sperm ( male reproductive cell) will become impossible. The problem can be solved by in vitro fertilization, during which germ cells are combined in a laboratory outside the woman’s body and then placed in her uterus, where they continue to develop.
• Irradiation of the head. When irradiating the head, the pituitary gland may be damaged, which will disrupt the hormonal activity of the ovaries and other glands of the body. You can also try to solve the problem with hormone replacement therapy.
• Disruption of vital organs and systems. If during radiation therapy the functions of the heart are impaired or the lungs are damaged ( for example, severe fibrosis has developed), a woman may experience difficulties during pregnancy. The fact is that during pregnancy ( especially in the 3rd trimester) the load on the cardiovascular and respiratory system of the expectant mother increases significantly, which, in the presence of severe concomitant diseases, can cause the development of dangerous complications. Such women should be constantly monitored by an obstetrician-gynecologist and take supportive therapy. They are also not recommended to give birth through the birth canal ( The method of choice is delivery via cesarean section at 36–37 weeks of pregnancy).

It is also worth noting that the time elapsed from the end of radiation therapy to the onset of pregnancy is of no small importance. The fact is that the tumor itself, as well as the treatment carried out, significantly deplete the female body, as a result of which it needs time to restore energy reserves. That is why it is recommended to plan pregnancy no earlier than six months after treatment and only in the absence of signs of metastasis or relapse ( re-development) cancer.

Is radiation therapy dangerous for others?

During radiation therapy, a person does not pose a danger to others. Even after irradiation of tissues with large doses of ionizing radiation, they ( fabrics) do not emit this radiation into the environment. An exception to this rule is contact interstitial radiotherapy, during which radioactive elements can be installed in human tissue ( in the form of small balls, needles, staples or threads). This procedure is performed only in a specially equipped room. After installation of radioactive elements, the patient is placed in a special room, the walls and doors of which are covered with radioprotective screens. He must remain in this ward throughout the entire course of treatment, that is, until the radioactive substances are removed from the affected organ ( the procedure usually takes several days or weeks).

Access of medical personnel to such a patient will be strictly limited in time. Relatives can visit the patient, but before doing so they will need to wear special protective suits that will prevent radiation from affecting them. internal organs. At the same time, children or pregnant women, as well as patients with existing tumor diseases of any organs, will not be allowed into the ward, since even minimal exposure to radiation can negatively affect their condition.

After removing sources of radiation from the body, the patient can return to Everyday life on the same day. It will not pose any radioactive threat to others.

Recovery and rehabilitation after radiation therapy

During radiation therapy, a number of recommendations should be followed that will save the body's strength and ensure maximum efficiency ongoing treatment.

Diet ( nutrition) during and after radiation therapy

When drawing up a menu during radiation therapy, one should take into account the peculiarities of the influence of ionizing radiation on the tissues and organs of the digestive system.

During radiation therapy you should:

• Eat well processed foods. During radiotherapy ( especially when irradiating the gastrointestinal tract) damage occurs to the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract - the oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, intestines. They can become thinner, inflamed, and become extremely sensitive to damage. That is why one of the main conditions for preparing food is its high-quality mechanical processing. It is recommended to avoid hard, coarse or tough foods that could damage the oral mucosa during chewing, as well as the esophageal or gastric mucosa when swallowing a bolus. Instead, it is recommended to consume all foods in the form of cereals, purees, and so on. Also, the food consumed should not be too hot, as this can easily cause a burn to the mucous membrane.
• Consume high-calorie foods. During radiation therapy, many patients complain of nausea and vomiting that occurs immediately after eating. That is why such patients are recommended to consume small amounts of food at a time. The products themselves must contain all the necessary nutrients to provide the body with energy.
• Eat 5-7 times a day. As mentioned earlier, patients are advised to eat small meals every 3 to 4 hours, which will reduce the likelihood of vomiting.
• Drink enough water. In the absence of contraindications ( for example, severe heart disease or edema caused by a tumor or radiation therapy) the patient is recommended to drink at least 2.5 - 3 liters of water per day. This will help cleanse the body and remove byproducts of tumor decay from the tissues.
• Eliminate carcinogens from your diet. Carcinogens are substances that can increase the risk of developing cancer. During radiation therapy, they should be excluded from the diet, which will increase the effectiveness of the treatment.

Nutrition during radiation therapy

What can you use?
cooked meat; wheat porridge; oatmeal; rice porridge; buckwheat porridge; mashed potatoes; boiled chicken eggs ( 1 – 2 per day); cottage cheese; fresh milk ; butter ( about 50 grams per day); baked apples ; walnuts (3 – 4 per day); natural honey; mineral water ( without gases); jelly.	fried food ( carcinogen); fatty foods ( carcinogen); smoked food ( carcinogen); spicy food ( carcinogen); salty food; strong coffee ; alcoholic drinks (carcinogen); carbonated drinks; fast food ( including porridge and instant noodles); vegetables and fruits containing a large amount of dietary fiber ( mushrooms, dried fruits, beans and so on).

Vitamins for radiation therapy

When exposed to ionizing radiation, certain changes can also occur in the cells of healthy tissues ( their genetic apparatus may be destroyed). Also, the mechanism of cell damage is due to the formation of so-called free oxygen radicals, which aggressively affect all intracellular structures, leading to their destruction. The cell dies.

Over the course of many years of research, it was found that some vitamins have so-called antioxidant properties. This means that they can bind free radicals inside cells, thereby blocking their destructive effect. The use of such vitamins during radiation therapy ( in moderate doses) increases the body's resistance to radiation, without compromising the quality of the treatment provided.

They have antioxidant properties:

• some trace elements ( for example, selenium).

Is it possible to drink red wine during radiation therapy?

Red wine contains a number of vitamins, minerals and trace elements necessary for the normal functioning of many body systems. It has been scientifically proven that drinking 1 glass ( 200 ml) red wine per day helps normalize metabolism and also improves the removal of toxic products from the body. All this undoubtedly has a positive effect on the condition of the patient undergoing radiation therapy.

At the same time, it is worth remembering that abuse of this drink can negatively affect the cardiovascular system and many internal organs, increasing the risk of complications during and after radiation therapy.

Why are antibiotics prescribed during radiation therapy?

When irradiation is carried out, cells of the immune system are affected, as a result of which the body's defenses are weakened. Along with damage to the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the respiratory and genitourinary systems, this can contribute to the emergence and development of many bacterial infections. Antibacterial therapy may be necessary to treat them. At the same time, it is worth remembering that antibiotics destroy not only pathogenic, but also normal microorganisms that live, for example, in the intestines of a healthy person and take an active part in the digestion process. That is why, after completing a course of radiotherapy and antibiotic therapy, it is recommended to take drugs that restore intestinal microflora.

Why are CT and MRI prescribed after radiation therapy?

CT ( CT scan) and MRI ( Magnetic resonance imaging) are diagnostic procedures that allow detailed examination of certain areas of the human body. Using these techniques, you can not only identify a tumor, determine its size and shape, but also monitor the process of treatment, noting weekly certain changes in the tumor tissue. For example, with the help of CT and MRI, it is possible to detect an increase or decrease in the size of a tumor, its growth into neighboring organs and tissues, the appearance or disappearance of distant metastases, and so on.

It is worth considering that during a CT scan, the human body is exposed to a small amount of X-ray radiation. This introduces certain restrictions on the use of this technique, especially during radiation therapy, when the radiation load on the body must be strictly dosed. At the same time, MRI is not accompanied by irradiation of tissues and does not cause any changes in them, as a result of which it can be performed daily ( or even more often), presenting absolutely no danger to the patient's health.

Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Sometimes women come to the gynecologist with the question: “After an x-ray, when can you get pregnant?” After all, X-ray irradiation is not harmless to expectant mother. Many responsible women understand this and try to delay pregnancy after an x-ray. But there are situations when pregnancy occurs unexpectedly. The woman recalls that she recently (perhaps even in the current cycle) had an x-ray and is now worried about how the radiation will affect the baby’s health.

Let's talk to experts about how long it takes to get pregnant after an x-ray and whether there are reasons to panic.

Planning and x-ray

Any married couple wants to give birth to an absolutely healthy baby. And those future parents who take this issue seriously understand that they need to prepare for this important step in advance.

Planning a pregnancy is an important and responsible activity that involves a number of procedures aimed at identifying possible deviations from the norm in the bodies of future parents.

An X-ray examination may be prescribed by a doctor in the following cases:

• When diagnosing the cause when pregnancy does not occur for a long time;
• A routine fluorographic examination of the lungs, which every person must undergo once a year;
• Photograph of teeth during oral sanitation;
• For injuries;
• For some diseases, when ultrasound diagnostics are not enough.

And it often happens that a woman does not yet know that she is pregnant when she receives a certain dose of radiation.

When can you plan to conceive after an x-ray? Will pregnancy proceed with complications after an x-ray? Can irradiation affect the fetus; will it have developmental defects after this procedure? Let's look at these important issues.

Is it possible to get pregnant immediately after hysterosalpingography?

When planning a pregnancy, the doctor will definitely prescribe an X-ray if the long-awaited conception does not occur for a long time. The test is called hysterosalpingography (HSG). It must be carried out in order to determine the quality of patency of the fallopian tubes. If adhesions are found in the tubes, fertilization is impossible.

To check whether the tubes are patent, an HSG is performed, during which a contrast agent is used. It is with its help that you can see in the pictures the condition of the pelvic organs. Thanks to this procedure, the doctor can also detect formations that are dangerous to the woman’s health.

An interesting fact is that after completing this study, a woman who has not been able to get pregnant for a long time may discover two cherished stripes.

There is a completely scientific explanation for this “miraculous” healing. The same liquid used for x-rays is injected under pressure. The result of this procedure is the divergence of small adhesions and restoration of the patency of the fallopian tubes.

This important point must be taken into account after the x-ray, and your doctor will tell you when you can become pregnant. But in any case, during the menstrual cycle when the woman was examined, she needs to use protection, since the egg received a serious dose of radiation.

What if pregnancy has already occurred?

Everyone knows that X-ray radiation in large doses can be harmful to health. But modern equipment reduces the harmful effects of the procedure to a minimum.

If the risk is minimal, is it possible to take x-rays immediately before conception and during pregnancy? Most gynecologists agree that it is undesirable for a pregnant woman to undergo this procedure. It is prescribed only in cases of extreme necessity.

With strong (and especially repeated) irradiation, living tissue cells can be harmed:

• Cells are damaged and are unable to perform their functions fully;
• Transform into forms of malignant formations;
• They die off.

The cells of the reproductive system are considered the most vulnerable to radiation. Irradiated sperm in men and damaged eggs in women are unable to conceive.

It is for this reason that the organs of the reproductive system must be protected using lead screens when undergoing an X-ray examination.

Since each organism has its own characteristics and reacts individually to any influence, the unborn child should be protected from negative consequences irradiation.

It is worth planning conception two menstrual cycles after the body has received a dose of radiation - this is a sufficient period of time even for “reinsurers”.

However, many gynecologists are confident that it is possible to plan conception for the next cycle after the x-ray.

Effect on the fetus: doctors' opinions

Sometimes a woman, after undergoing an x-ray examination, finds out that she was already pregnant at that time. And she is very concerned about whether this procedure affects the development of the fetus.

Doctors have different opinions about the safety of X-rays for expectant mothers.

Some doctors believe that modern equipment helps reduce risks to a minimum. Therefore, future parents have nothing to worry about.

Another part of the doctors claims that there are risks of complications. However, the consequences depend on what kind of examination was carried out and to what extent.

The risk of complications depends on how early the x-ray was taken.

If a woman was examined in the first half of the cycle, then there is no need to worry. After all, at this time the egg has not yet had time to mature and be released.

Having received irradiation in the second half of the menstrual cycle, when ovulation has already occurred, there is a high probability that the fetus may die or disturbances will be observed in its development. This applies to those who have had an X-ray of the pelvis or spine. Other studies, if done in compliance with all the rules, are practically safe.

So, it all depends on what kind of x-ray examination the woman underwent, how often she did it and what dose of radiation she received.

For example, if a pregnant woman took a photo of a tooth or hand, this will not affect the fetus in any way. But an X-ray of the pelvis, especially if it was done more than once, can cause many unpleasant consequences both for the subsequent pregnancy and for the planned one.

If a woman needs an x-ray for some reason while planning a pregnancy, it is better for her to choose the first third of the cycle, when the likelihood of getting pregnant is almost zero. Or use contraception for the entire cycle.

Obstetrician-gynecologist answers

We asked obstetrician-gynecologist Elena Artemyeva to answer questions that concern expectant mothers.

“My husband and I have been planning a pregnancy for a long time. But he had to take an unscheduled photo of the tooth. Will radiation affect my ability to conceive? Is it dangerous to have a dental x-ray when planning a pregnancy? Should I stop planning?

— The amount of X-ray exposure in your case will not affect the male quality of conception.

— How long should it take after an X-ray of the lungs to conceive?

— You can plan a pregnancy already in the next cycle.

— I have a regular menstrual cycle. Sexual intercourse occurred two days before ovulation. And a day later I had to have fluorography and an x-ray of the hand in two projections. When the picture of the hand was taken, an apron was put on the stomach. And now I feel signs of pregnancy: weakness, drowsiness and cravings for salty foods, although it’s too early to take a test. If I'm pregnant, it turns out that I was irradiated before the egg was fertilized. Does this mean that I will give birth to a child with a pathology? Is it necessary to terminate the pregnancy?

— There is a theoretical basis for your fears. However, there is no need to worry ahead of time. Indeed, exposure to x-rays on the body on days when the likelihood of conception is high is undesirable. But this does not mean that the pregnancy must be terminated. First, make sure that you are pregnant.

To do this, you need not only to do a test, but also undergo an ultrasound examination.

In this case, the “all or nothing” principle applies. If a harmful effect on the fetus occurred, and it was strong enough, then pregnancy will not occur at all. If fertilization occurs and the fetus develops, then most likely a healthy baby will be born. Therefore, in your case there is no reason to panic. Start taking folic acid and wait quietly for the test results.