Abstract
Recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances in pediatric oncology have led to greater survival rates in children with malignancies. However, while adolescent cancer therapies improve long-term survival, such treatments often lead to infertility, early menopause and long-term health problems related to early ovarian failure. As more young women survive childhood cancer and lead full lives, these concerns are becoming increasingly important. Faced with the diagnosis of cancer during the reproductive years, patients will have many questions, not only about the cancer and treatment itself but also with respect to future fertility. Will they be able to have children? Will the children be healthy? What technologies exist to help them preserve their fertility and what are the success rates? Can the cancer treatment allow a delay in order to accomplish fertility preservation? Clinicians must be armed with updated information to address these concerns and help guide patients through cancer treatment towards a healthy, fulfilled life. This article will review the effects of cancer treatments on reproductive potential and describe the fertility-sparing options available to young girls and women of reproductive age with cancer.
Notes
*Established procedures.
FSH: Follicle-stimulating hormone; GnRH: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone; IVF: In vitro fertilization.