title: Utility of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for fertility preservation in young breast cancer patients: the benefit remains uncertain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer in young women is typically characterised by aggressive disease, and treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy is generally recommended. Chemotherapy has conferred significant improvements in disease-free and overall survival for young women with breast cancer; however, with improved cure rates, long-term adverse effects of cytotoxic treatment, such as premature ovarian failure (POF) and infertility, have become increasingly important. A potential fertility preservation strategy is administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHas) during adjuvant chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review analyses and summarises the current evidence for use of GnRHa in preserving ovarian function in young breast cancer patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve trials, both non-randomised and randomised, have now been conducted assessing GnRHas in fertility preservation in young breast cancer patients, with conflicting results. Limitations of the current data include the use of poorly sensitive end points for fertility preservation, variable age of enrolled patients and limited pregnancy data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The utility of GnRHa as a fertility preservation strategy remains uncertain, and use outside of a clinical trial generally not recommended. Further research into this under-recognised issue is vital.
authors.affiliation: 'Sandro Pitigliani' Medical Oncology Department, Hospital of Prato, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Prato, Italy.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Leo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biganzoli
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
keywords: GNRH analogue; breast cancer; chemotherapy; fertility; young age