Fertility preservation in women with CNS tumors

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Fertility impairment due to treatments is a major concern for adolescents and young adult patients who survived cancer.

Areas covered: Chemotherapy may determine a detrimental effect on ovary function, leading to infertility, and premature ovarian failure. Embryo and oocyte cryopreservation is a standard strategy for fertility preservation; other strategies, such as gonadal tissue cryopreservation and the use of gonadotropin – releasing hormone agonist, are still considered experimental. There are few data available regarding the effect of pregnancy on glioma, which indicates tumor progression during pregnancy in 33–45% of patients.

Expert commentary: Glioma patients need to be advised about the risk of tumor progression during pregnancy, and about the possible, even if not proven, interaction between hormone stimulation and tumor growth.

KEYWORDS:

• Glioma
• pregnancy
• fertility

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

No funding to declare.