Breast Cancer: Brittney's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Brittney Rinella was 26 and planning her wedding when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After discussing options with Cleveland Clinic oncologist Dr. Halle Moore and the rest of her care team, Brittney chose a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. The plan created another fear: chemotherapy could damage her ovaries, cause premature menopause or make it impossible for her to have children naturally. Brittney agreed to combine chemotherapy with goserelin, a hormone-blocking injection being studied in the POEMS trial to protect ovarian function during treatment. The drug temporarily suppresses ovarian cycling during chemotherapy, making the ovaries less vulnerable to toxicity. After surgery, Brittney received 4 rounds of chemotherapy at Cleveland Clinic, each preceded by a goserelin injection. She had few chemotherapy side effects and continued working during treatment. When treatment ended, her ovaries returned to normal function, a sign that fertility might have been preserved. Four years later, Brittney was cancer-free and had become a mother. Her son, Colsen, was born on September 15, 2018. As of August 2019, her story highlighted both survival and fertility preservation: cancer interrupted her life plans, but it did not stop her from becoming a parent.