Research: Breast cancer drug gives new hope to IVF parents

A breast cancer wonder drug is being used in IVF to boost success rates for older women. Tamoxifen is normally given to patients who have undergone surgery for breast cancer to prevent tumours growing back. But a British clinic is pioneering its use in fertility treatment to help women over 40 who have a limited number of eggs. Normally older women with a low ovarian reserve have to use donor eggs from someone else, meaning they are not biologically related to the baby. But early trials have shown that when such women were given the inexpensive drug tamoxifen, approximately one in five were able to have a baby using their own eggs. The technique was trialled in a study at a London clinic earlier this year on 31 women with low ovarian reserve whose average age was 40. They were given daily tamoxifen pills for between five and 10 days. The women underwent 54 cycles of IVF between them, using fresh and frozen eggs. The results showed six of the 31 women went on to have babies.

Courier Mail, 15/08/2017, Page 11; Daily Telegraph, 15/08/2017, Page 14

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