title: Breastfeeding in breast cancer survivors: pattern, behaviour and effect on breast cancer outcome.
abstract: Little is known regarding the safety and feasibility of breastfeeding in women with a history of breast cancer. We have performed a survey among breast cancer patients who completed their pregnancy following breast cancer management to examine their lactation behaviours and its effect on breast cancer outcome. Out of 32 women identified, 20 were reachable and accepted to take the questionnaire. Ten women initiated breastfeeding, 4 stopped within one month and 6 had long-term success with a median period of 11 months (7-17 months). The latter were all previously subjected to breast conserving surgery and received qualified lactation counselling at delivery. The main reasons for not initiating breastfeeding were "uncertainty regarding maternal safety" and "a priori unfeasibility" expressed either by the obstetrician or by the oncologist. At a median follow-up of 48 months following delivery, all 20 women were alive with two relapses; one in each group (i.e., lactating and non-lactating). This analysis adds to the limited available evidence on the feasibility and safety of breastfeeding in breast cancer survivors. Proper fertility and survivorship counselling is crucial and requires more attention in breast cancer clinics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Haematology Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Hatem A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Azim
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bellettini
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Liptrott
authors.forename: Maria Ersilia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Armeni
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dell'Acqua
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Torti
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Nubila
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: Fedro
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peccatori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012449:Safety; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors