Dose-Dense Chemotherapy Regimen for Breast Cancer Associated with Significant Decline in Ovarian Reserve

J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2023 Dec 19. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2023.0079. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the impact of dose-dense chemotherapy administration on ovarian reserve in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of reproductive age women who underwent dose-dense chemotherapy regimens with doxorubicin hydrochloride and cyclophosphamide with or without paclitaxel for a new diagnosis of breast cancer. We compared pre- and post-treatment serum antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels and assessed changes in AMH over time. Results: Fifty-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Median pre-treatment AMH was 2.9 ng/mL, whereas post-treatment AMH was 0.1 ng/mL, demonstrating a dramatic reduction in AMH levels after treatment with a dose-dense regimen. This change was independent of age and was sustained over 12 months from treatment completion. Conclusions: Dose-dense chemotherapy regimens for breast cancer lead to marked and sustained decreases in AMH irrespective of patient age.

Keywords: AMH; breast cancer; dose-dense chemotherapy; ovarian function.