I had to take prednisone by intramuscular injection until I was through my first trimester. That is longer than most, but my doctor was very cautious. I think at some point, I switched to suppositories. As I understand it, cancers that are hormone-sensitive are usually sensitive to estrogen compounds, but I'm not entirely sure.

I don't necessarily think the IVF is what may have played a part if hormones did at all...but I feel that they did in my gut. For example, if I had "the perfect storm" of things happening, such as genetic predisposition, recurrent trauma to the tongue, then add the hormones into the picture...who knows, but I hope we do know some day. Obviously, of all the women I know that were diagnosed and treated perinatally, I was the only one that I know of that had IVF and it was only one cycle. I know several women who have undergone several cycles. Plus, the meds they give depend on what is causing the infertility. In my case, I was ovulating fine, but I had a blocked tube its entrance due to left over tissue after my first pregnancy.


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!