Abstract:
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and the most common
cancer among women. The use of chemotherapy as a component of comprehensive
treatment leads to the development of chemoinduced premature ovarian failure. The
aim of the study was to examine the dynamics of changes in the main indicators of
reproductive health of women who received chemotherapy for malignant neoplasms of
the breast. Reproductive health of patients (levels of antimullerian hormone, estradiol
and follicle-stimulating hormone, ovarian volume and number of antral follicles) before
chemotherapy and one, two, and three years after completion of chemotherapy was
studied according to the purpose and objectives of the study. The obtained data were
processed using the statistical software package SPSS 20.0 for Windows. Quite
significant changes in the reproductive health of women in the study group were
manifested in the form of menstrual disorders (oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea), involuntary
abortions, inability to conceive. Changes in hormonal status were characterized by a
progressive decrease in antimullerian hormone and estradiol levels and an increase in
follicle-stimulating hormone levels. In addition, there was a decrease in ovarian volume
and a decrease in the number of antral follicles. The dynamics of changes in the
studied indicators was characterized by a sharp deterioration during the first year after
chemotherapy, followed by less rapid progression. This trend is explained by dystrophic
changes in ovarian tissue after chemotherapy, and at a later date - in addition, the agerelated involution of the ovaries. The dynamics of changes in the main hormonal and
ultrasound parameters of the ovarian reserve indicates significant impairment of
reproductive function in women receiving chemotherapy for malignant neoplasms of
the breast.
