Evaluation of Reproductive Concerns and Biographical Impact of Breast Cancer in Young Patients

Fertility concerns in cancer patients: a bibliometric analysis via CiteSpace: A review

Fertility concerns are a pervasive issue but very subtle in patients with cancer. Though various studies have focused on fertility concerns, limited research endeavor has been dedicated to bibliometric analysis. Given this, to visually analyze the hot frontier trends of research related to fertility concerns of patients with cancer using CiteSpace and provide new insights for future research in this field using the bibliometric method. We used CiteSpace software to retrieve the literature related to fertility concerns of patients with cancer in the Web of Science core collection database from the year of establishment to 2022 and conducted visual analysis in terms of authors, countries and regions, research institutions, and keywords. The search resulted in 201 valid articles, and the annual publication volume of literature related to fertility concerns in patients with cancer was generally on the rise; the country with the most publications was the United States, which also had the highest influence; the main research institution was Sloan Kettleson Cancer Research Center; the core research scholar was Jessica R. Gorman; the research hotspots mainly centered on quality of survival, women, survivorship, preservation, breast cancer, adolescence, and infertility. The results of this bibliometric study provide the current status and trends in the fertility concerns of patients with cancer and may help researchers identify the hotspots and frontier trends in this field.

Psychometric properties of the Fertility Intention Scale among breast cancer patients of childbearing age in mainland China

Objective

There are no valid assessment instruments assessing fertility intention among breast cancer survivors in mainland China. Therefore, this study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Taiwanese version of the Fertility Intention Scale (FIS) among female patients with breast cancer of childbearing age in mainland China.

Methods

Two hundred and sixty-four female patients with breast cancer of childbearing age were recruited from two tertiary hospitals in Tianjin and Baoding, of which 32 patients completed the survey twice. Confirmatory factor analysis was adopted to assess construct validity. Correlations between the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer scale and FIS scores were calculated using Spearman correlation for convergent validity. The known-group validity of the FIS was verified using Mann–Whitney U test to compare the FIS scores between patients with or without the intention to conceive. Moreover, reliabilities were examined using Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation coefficient.

Results

Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit to previous factor structures (χ²/df = 3.19, root mean square error of approximation = 0.091, comparative fitting index = 0.980, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.975), and no FIS item was dropped. The FIS scores were weak negatively correlated with the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer scale scores (r = –0.172, P < 0.01). The convergent validity of FIS was not satisfactory. Differences were noted between patients with or without the intention to conceive (50.62 ± 6.35 vs. 45.98 ± 7.19, P < 0.01). The FIS showed acceptable known-group validity. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.824) and the test-retest reliability (r = 0.863, P < 0.01) of the FIS were also acceptable.

Conclusions

Overall, the FIS provides a comprehensive evaluation of the fertility intention among patients with breast cancer of childbearing age in mainland China. However, the convergent validity was not satisfactory; thus, further revision and validation may be required in the future.

Reproductive concerns among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: A scoping review of current research situations

Fertility is a significant concern among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors and their caregivers, especially after their completion of cancer treatment programs. Concerns about fertility affect not only cancer patients' psychological well‐being, but also all aspects of their medical treatments, including treatment protocol, decision‐making, and treatment adherence. In this scoping review, the PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, and Wanfang electronic databases were searched according to the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews. The searches identified 669 articles, 54 of which met the inclusion criteria. Reviewers extracted the data on the study characteristics, measurements, positive factors, negative factors, and additional themes. This scoping review included studies from 10 countries. Most studies were quantitative using a cross‐sectional design. The prevalence of reproductive concerns among AYA cancer survivors ranged from 44% to 86%, and 28% to 44% of the survivors experienced moderate to severe concerns. The specific implementation of fertility consultation, including timing, consult frequency, and content, deserves ongoing exploration.

[Breast cancer management before 40 years: what change in one decade? A retrospective study at the "Institut de cancérologie de Lorraine": 2002-2012]

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer of young women has medico-psychological issues, particularly in the perspective of "after cancer" period. The objective of the study was to analyze the changes in management, in a decade including the publication of Cancer Plans I and II.

METHODS

This retrospective unicentric study involved two populations of women aged 40 and treated at the "Institut de cancérologie de Lorraine" in 2002-2004 (P1) and 2012-2014 (P2). Epidemiological-demographic, histological, diagnostic and therapeutic sequences were analyzed.

RESULTS

216 patients were included. The mean age was 35.7 years (range 22-40), with no significant epidemiological difference, except for an increased rate of obesity in P2. Preoperative biopsies became almost systematic and the pre-therapeutic care plan rate increased over the decade from 3.8% to 8% (p < 0.001). The rate of breast-conserving treatment remained stable. The sentinel lymph node rate increased from 4.4% in P1 to 31.9% in P2 (p < 0.001), while the rate of lymph node dissection decreased (p < 0.001) between the two periods. Resort to breast nurses, psycho-oncologists, fertility experts and oncogenetic consultations has also increased.

CONCLUSION

There is an improvement in the care and management of young women under 40 because of the first Cancer Plans. A study about the impact on the prognosis and a reflection to improve the experience of illness for these women are to lead.