Abstract: Background and purpose: The young breast cancer patients were treated with goserelin without individualized regimen, and lack of available clinical marker. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in evaluation of individualized treatment of ovarian function suppression in the young breast cancer patients. Methods: Forty-one young patients with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive breast cancer from May 2012 to Jan. 2014 were randomly divided into 2 groups to undergo radical resection of breast cancer. According to postoperative treatment, one group was treated with goserelin + chemotherapy (n=20), and the other group received chemotherapy alone (n=21). Thirty female patients in the same age group were selected as normal control group. The time of menopause and menstrual recovery after the goserelin + chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone were observed in 2 groups. In early follicular phase (day 3-5) of the cycle preceding the operation and 3, 6 courses after the goserelin + chemotherapy treatment or chemotherapy treatment, serum levels of AMH, FSH and E₂ were measured in 2 groups. Accordingly, serum levels of AMH, FSH and E₂ were evaluated as well in normal control group. Results: There were no significant differences in preoperative general conditions and preoperative serum FSH and E₂ levels among the 3 groups (P>0.05). Compared with normal control group, the preoperative serum AMH levels of young breast cancer patients were decreased significantly (P=0.04). The menopause time and menstrual recovery time in 2 chemotherapy groups were significantly shorter than that in normal control group (P=0.00). Compared with normal control group and preoperative measurement, the differences in serum FSH and E₂ levels were not statistically significant in goserelin + chemotherapy group or chemotherapy alone group (P<0.05). The serum AMH levels measured at different time points of the goserelin + chemotherapy group and chemotherapy alone group were decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the chemotherapy group, the serum AMH levels of the goserelin + chemotherapy group after 6 courses were significantly decreased, and then significantly increased 6 months after menstrual recovery (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the serum AMH levels were obviously decreased after the ovarian function suppression treatment and increased after the menstrual recovery compared with evaluation of other ovarian reserve index. The serum AMH level could suggest ovarian reserve damage even after ovarian function has recovered to the noticeable level. Thus, AMH could be used clinically to evaluate the ovarian reserve of breast cancer patients as a potential marker for the individualized ovarian function suppression treatment in young breast cancer patients.

Key words: Anti-Müllerian hormone, Goserelin, Young breast cancer patients, Ovarian function suppression