Authors: Bedaiwy, Mohamed A; Falcone, Tommaso

Source: Women's Health, Volume 2, Number 3, May 2006 , pp. 479-489(11)

Publisher: Future Medicine

Abstract:

Fertility preservation is an important but often neglected need of cancer patients. There are several options available but many are considered experimental or are unproven. Most require interventions that can postpone the initiation of cancer treatment. The options include surgical procedures to move the ovaries out of the path of a radiation field, prophylactic medical therapy with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and storage of gametes, embryos or gonadal tissue. Embryo freezing after conventional in vitro fertilization has a high success rate. Experimental fertility preservation procedures such as oocyte freezing and ovarian tissue cryopreservation/transplantation should be offered to cancer patients only under institutional review board oversight. Laparoscopic ovarian transposition is a viable option if radiotherapy is to be used alone. Oncologists, reproductive endocrinologists and other healthcare professionals should be part of a multidisciplinary team that offers cancer patients options to preserve their reproductive potential if they desire to do so.

Keywords: fertility preservation; oocyte and ovarian tissue cryopreservation; premature ovarian failure

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/17455057.2.3.479

Affiliations: 1: 1Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Samuel Lunenfel Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Publication date: 2006-05-01

More about this publication?

• Women's Healthprovides a forum for specialists addressing those conditions that are unique to women or far more prevalent in women than in men. The journal focuses on current and emerging topics relating to the safe and effective management of therapy in women, taking into account issues such as key areas such as women's physiology and life-cycle hormonal changes, with all articles subject to rigorous peer review.
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