We are deeply concerned about the impact of the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson on all cancer patients nationwide. Fight CRC believes all treatments and medical procedures should be examined and discussed with the patient in consultation with their healthcare provider. We believe that laws and policies that restrict or otherwise interfere with the patient-physician relationship can put a patient at risk by limited access to quality, evidence-based care. 

The recent Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson not only threatens the ability for pregnant women to receive life-saving cancer treatment, it may limit access to reproductive care like fertility preservation. The American Cancer Society recently shared research titled “Dobbs v. Jackson and access to fertility care among newly diagnosed adolescents and young adults with cancer in the USA.” According to the article, “the US Supreme Court's decision on Dobbs v. Jackson reverses Roe v. Wade and returns decisions about abortion services to each individual US state. This decision will potentially interfere with fertility preservation for adolescents and young adults with cancer—an essential component of cancer care—by placing controls on genetic testing, storage, and disposal of embryos, including those created in vitro.”

How Dobbs v. Jackson Impacts Colorectal Cancer Survivors

By 2030, colorectal cancer is projected to be the No. 1 cancer killer for people 20–49. With the rise of early-age onset colorectal cancer, treatment is an absolute priority, but so is quality of life. 

For many early-age onset patients, fertility preservation is an important part of their treatment journey. Unfortunately, patients aren’t always made aware of their options. The Dobbs v. Jackson decision further complicates this critical conversation and puts an essential component of quality of life in jeopardy.  

More than 32,000 young patients newly diagnosed with cancer now live in states that have imposed or have impending abortion restrictions, according to a new study published in The Lancet Oncology.

To learn more about fertility preservation, see our recent blog post, “What Young Adults Should Know About CRC and Fertility.” 

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