Advances in Fertility Preservation in Young Female Cancer Patients

Advances in Fertility Preservation in Young Female Cancer Patients

US Endocrinology Volume 4 Issue 1
Published: November 2009
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Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood, adolescent, and adult cancer have greatly enhanced the life expectancy of pre-menopausal women with the disease. As a result, there is a growing population of adolescent and adult long-term survivors of childhood malignancies.1 For the majority of women, ovarian damage caused by radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy will result in premature menopause. Indeed, the ovaries are sensitive to cytotoxic treatment, especially radiation and alkylating agents. Follicular destruction generally results in the loss of both endocrine and reproductive functions. Therefore, procedures to preserve fertility have to be undertaken as an integral part of treatment of patients at risk for such side effects. The American Association of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) recommends that all cancer patients of reproductive age be informed about the possibility of treatment-related infertility.2

The different fertility preservation options that may be offered to patients before the initiation of chemo- and/or radiotherapy include cryopreservation of embryos, oocytes, or ovarian cortical tissue.3,4 Decision-making in this area is particularly difficult because of the experimental nature of some of the techniques involved. With the continued development and optimization of these techniques, however, it may one day be possible to offer an individualized approach to management.5,6 The choice of the most suitable strategy for preserving fertility depends on different parameters: the type and timing of chemotherapy, the type of cancer, the patient’s age, and the partner status. According to the Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM),7 the only established method of fertility preservation is embryo cryopreservation, but this option requires the patient to be of pubertal age, have a partner or use donor sperm, and be able to undergo a cycle of ovarian stimulation.



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Keywords:
Fertility Preservation, Female Cancer Patients,

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