I’ve been following the events surrounding E! News personality Giuliana Rancic’s recent diagnosis of breast cancer with much concern. There is so much at stake here for women trying to build a family, and Ms. Rancic’s unfortunate diagnosis could be used to confuse many people. 

Obviously I hope all goes well for Ms. Rancic. For those unfamiliar with her story, Ms. Rancic’s fertility specialist ordered a mammogram for what appears to be screening purposes and found what is believed to be an early cancer in a 36-year-old woman who had undergone IVF twice before. This raises two questions that need to be addressed. First, did the IVF cause her breast cancer? The answer is no. Fertility treatments do not increase the risk of breast cancer. In fact, successful fertility treatments could potentially lower the risk if the mother breastfeeds. A number of studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the incidence of breast cancer. By helping facilitate a successful pregnancy, we can help women access this proven preventative measure as well as the dream of family. There is no convincing data that proves that fertility treatment increases the lifetime risk, although the researchers are diligently following this.

The second question is much more serious and potentially controversial: can fertility treatments accelerate early, as yet undetected, breast cancers? I searched the literature and could not find any definite proof that this is true. But, the pragmatist in me has to admit that this concern has a lot of biological basis to be concerned. For example, breast cancers very often have receptors for estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that rise dramatically during fertility treatments and the subsequent pregnancy. In fact, cancers discovered after a recent pregnancy are associated with a poorer prognosis, but ironically these are cancers that lack these receptors. 

So we know that pregnancy can worsen a diagnosis of breast cancer, even though the treatment to get pregnant may not. As many of our patients are older and requiring help to conceive, I think it is fair to assume that we could be accelerating or worsening the prognosis of an as yet undiagnosed breast cancer. How do we best help our patients with this issue? Mammograms are the obvious screening tool, but unfortunately, debate rages over when women should begin mammogram screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Forces recommends breast cancer testing start at age 50, although the American Cancer Society advises yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 for women with an average risk. Some earlier studies even suggested age 35. I believe that any patient who is at increased risk, (i.e. family history) be screened, perhaps as early as age 30. Perhaps we need to screen everyone who goes through IVF treatment, and certainly those ages 35 and older; however, the benefit of this is again controversial.

Giuliana Rancic’s diagnosis has certainly brought this important issue to the forefront, but I’m not happy with the fact that this story is fodder for all those constantly looking for ways that advances in medicine can hurt us. The sensationalist press also will irresponsibly try to raise fear solely to increase their readership. At the end of the day, we need to realize that there are no free rides, no sure things, and no easy answers in medicine. Drugs have side effects and surgeries have complications. IVF has helped millions of people around the world, and we must stay diligent to make sure the risks are minimized.