title: Fertility concerns among breast cancer patients in Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Young women represent a high proportion of the total number of breast cancer (BC) patients in Mexico; however, no previous studies addressing their attitudes regarding the risk of chemotherapy-induced infertility and its contributing factors are available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concerns of young women with BC towards the risk of infertility in two referral centers in Mexico with access to public health services.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study including women with newly or previously detected BC aged 40 years or younger at diagnosis was conducted. Variables regarding concerns about fertility were collected from an adapted version of the Fertility Issues Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  134 consecutive eligible women responded to the in-person paper survey. 55% were partnered, 35.1% had no children, and 48% reported willingness to have children prior to BC diagnosis. Only 3% of patients considered to be able to afford extra expenses. At diagnosis, 44% of women expressed some level of concern about infertility risk. The only factor significantly associated with fertility concern was the desire of having children prior to diagnosis (OR 11.83, p = 0.006). Only 30.6% patients recalled having received information regarding infertility risk from their physicians.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A minority of young women with breast cancer in Mexico is informed about the risk of BC treatment-induced infertility, despite substantial interest. Informing all patients about infertility risk and available options for fertility preservation should be an essential aspect of the supportive care of young women with BC, even in low-middle income countries such as Mexico.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigacion y de Tumores Mamarios, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico; Centro de Cancer de Mama, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villarreal-Garza
authors.affiliation: Centro de Cancer de Mama, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Bertha Alejandra
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Martinez-Cannon
authors.affiliation: Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Platas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigacion y de Tumores Mamarios, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.affiliation: Centro de Cancer de Mama, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Arnoldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gil-Moran
authors.affiliation: Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yoatzin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigacion y de Tumores Mamarios, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bargallo-Rocha
authors.affiliation: Centro de Cancer de Mama, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Servando
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cardona-Huerta
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigacion y de Tumores Mamarios, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico City, Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yadira Estefany
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Lopez-Aguirre
authors.affiliation: Centro de Cancer de Mama, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico; Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barragan-Carrillo
authors.affiliation: Joven y Fuerte: Programa para la Atencion e Investigacion de Mujeres Jovenes con Cancer de Mama, Mexico City, Mexico; Catedras CONACYT, Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Mexico. Electronic address: acastrosan@conacyt.mx.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castro-Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D008800:Mexico; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Breast neoplasm; Fertility preservation; Mexico; Quality of life; Young women