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Immunotherapy and Fertilty
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Immunotherapy and Fertilty

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Immunotherapy and Fertilty

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    • March 14, 2017 at 8:46 pm
    newmanmark
    Participant

      Hello.  Has anyone had the conversation with their Oncogist about the risks of getting pregnant after immunotherapy?  I think the literature says to wait 6 months but I'm wondering if there is any research or opinions from Immunotherapy thought leaders on this?

      My wife and I are praying that I get a NED status in the next 6 months and if so we were hoping to try for another child.

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        • March 14, 2017 at 9:05 pm
        jennunicorn
        Participant

          Interestingly enough my oncologist mentioned that she is trying to get a study started in order to track young women like myself who have been on immunotherapy and how it may or may not affect their fertility. It would be a women only study. There have not been any fertility studies done in relation to immunotherapy yet. The idea has been that it would have no effect, but now that we know how it can permanently damage thyroid and other hormonal glands, she wants to know if there is any long term affect on the hormones in women's reproductive system. 

          I don't think it would effect sperm, but no one really knows I guess. I know there are plenty of people who have been on immunotherapy that went on to have children afterward, both men and women. It does say to wait a period of time after stopping treatment to get pregnant, so it's good to wait a bit. Once you do get NED status, you'll likely stay on treatment for a while afterward, so just be prepared to be on treatment a while. I'm 30 and was planning on starting a family right now, but melanoma has other plans for me, so I have to wait quite a while before I can think about getting pregnant. Kicking melanoma butt comes first 🙂

            • March 15, 2017 at 1:18 am
            Nemesis
            Participant

              Jenn, are you worried that pregnancy may trigger a return of the melanoma? It seems that there is a correlation there.

               

              • March 15, 2017 at 1:45 am
              jennunicorn
              Participant

                A little bit. My plan is to wait a few years after NED status before trying to get pregnant. I'm not scared enough to never try and have kids. It would break my heart to not at least try and get pregnant and have my own kids someday, so, although a recurrence during pregnancy might be a possibility, it's not going to stop me from living life the way I've always wanted to. 

                • March 16, 2017 at 1:11 am
                Kim K
                Participant

                  Word of caution, correlation does not equal causation.  Melanoma comes in different flavors.  Some may, some may not progress with pregnancy.  It is too confounding either way.  In the end, the individual will need to determine if their disase burden and time since becoming NED is worth the risk or not.  Not becoming a mom based on a what if in a vacuum when it is all you ever wanted?  I just don't know.  There isn't enough good research or data out their either way.  In the end, it either comes back or it doesn't.  That is a very individual decision based on that person's status.  I have dealt with both issues so am sensitive when people use correlate or cause melanoma when there still are no clear answers.

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