My Fertility Treatments led to My Breast Cancer:

My screen name is Babs Riley. On March 3, 2009, I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I was 44 years old. A few weeks later, I joined a breast cancer study and learned that I have an impaired estrogen metabolism.

I learned that the 3 rounds of Fertility Medications I took in 2004-2005 most likely initiated the cancer. I learned that I have a a series of on SNPs on my CYP1B1, COMT & GSTM genes. These genes are essential in the detoxification of estrogen and its metabolites. Since my estrogen metabolism is impaired, I could not effectively process the IVF medications.

Although I take Tamoxifen, it is not enough. I take supplements to help my estrogen metabolize and prevent recurrance. I wish that I had known about this research prior to beginning fertility treatments. I hope my story convinces you to take this simple test and hopefully prevent breast cancer. If you already have estrogen-receptor positive cancer, I hope this information helps you reduce your recurrance risk.

Test Your Estrogen Metabolism if:

- You have ESTROGEN RECEPTOR POSITIVE BREAST CANCER.

- You are CONSIDERING IVF.

- You already have had IVF.

- You are taking HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (Bio-Identical, too.)

- You have a history of breast cancer in the family.

- You have taken or are considering many years of birth control pills.

My Fertility Treatment Cancer Story Cont:

I am not a doctor, nurse or researcher. I am a patient advocate with breast cancer in remission. I am sharing what I have learned in the past year so that other women with estrogen positive breast cancer may reduce their reoccurance risk and those women thinking about fertility treatments will avoid the risk of breast cancer. Here is my story.

In March 2009, I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, 95% estrogen & progesterone positive, Grade 3 (the most aggressive), with 4 malignant sentinel lymph nodes out of 8 and HER2 negative. I am BRAC 1 & 2 negative. There is absolutely no history of breast cancer or almost any cancer at all in my family.

I am late Stage 2. My cancer reccurance risk post surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and TAXOMIFEN is at 30% over the next 5 years according to my oncologist.

Fortunately for me, not even 3 weeks after my diagnosis, I began to participate in an estrogen positive breast cancer study based on functional genomics run by the biochemist, Dr. Joseph Veltmann, of the Institute for Individualized Medicine based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. www.iimsite.com

Dr. Veltmann’s study evaluates women at risk for Estrogen Receptor positive cancer using genetic testing. If there are SNPs on the genes which imair estrogen metabolism, treatment is through the use of nutrition, supplements and medication. The efficacy of treatment through supplements is monitored through urine analysis. Improving estrogen metabolism lessens recurrance risk and decreases breast cancer risk.

The women in Dr. Veltmann’s study all turn out to have an unusual pattern of SNPs on their DNA. All the women in the study have at least 1 SNP on CYP1B 1 , COMT and GSTM or CYP1A1, CYP3A4.

Women with SNPs on CYP1B1 (and COMT and GSTM) are at higher risk for developing breast cancer after exposure to FERTILITY MEDICATIONS, HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY and even BIRTH CONTROL PILLS.

In my breast cancer treatment adventure, I met many women. Almost all of the women I met under 40, had had IVF. When I began IVF treatment, I knew that my chances of creating an embryo with my own eggs were very slim since I was 40 years old. Despite the slim odds, I insisted on treatment because I did not understand the risks. If I had known that I was giving myself breast cancer with the IVF shots, I would have moved straight to an egg donor.

Except for women who test positive for the BRAC 1 & 2 gene (only about 10% cancer patients have genetic predisposition), no one really knows exactly why they have cancer. Reoccurance is a primary fear. Some breast cancer survivors are afraid of environmental chemicals, cleaning products, food and stress. Although I have days when fear gets the best of me, I was very fortunate in that I learned very quickly why I probably developed breast cancer and what I must do to keep it from coming back. Once I learned about the genetic testing, the SNPs and why I probably had breast cancer, I have had to learn to live with the guilt of my vanity and pride. By insisting on pursuing IVF I put my children through the ordeal of a mother with cancer.

During my first meeting with Dr. Veltmann, I explained my diagnosis. The first question he asked was, “Have you had any irregular bleeding?” I was shocked that this was his first question because in fact, since several months after I finished my third and final fertility treatment, I had been suffering from horribly irregular bleeding and inexplicable weight gain. I had been to several gynecologists to discuss this but I was told that I was peri-menopausal and that it was normal.

Dr. Veltmann explained that most of the women in his study had similar experiences. He explained that every woman in his study had ‘SNPs on their DNA’ that were quite unusual in the normal population but common for those with breast cancer. Everyone in the study had the same SNPs resulting in an impaired estrogen meta bolism. He said that he suspected I probably had the same SNPs. Through a blood test and a urine test, he would gather the information to assess my estrogen metabolism.

Once test results were back, it turned out, I did have the exact same DNA SNPs (single nucleotide polymorhphisms) as most of the other women in the study. My body was unable to properly metabolize the estrogen from the fertility shots I took in 2004 and 2005.

There is very little information about a correlation between IVF medications and breast cancer. However, ALL of the breast surgeons and oncologists that I met have expressed frustration that there is no database for fertility clinics that would allow documentation of the increased incidence of breast cancer amongst fertility treatment recipients that they witness. Anecdotally, each of them believe that there is a correlation and all express frustration that there are no large studies examining the issue.

To more fully understand SNPs on CYP1B1, CYP1A1, COMT and GSTM please go to the reference section. Cursory searches on the internet will not result in any satisfactory information on this topic.