Patient with Cancer

Being diagnosed with cancer is one of the most devastating life events a person can face. Infertility and cancer is a very real concern for patients. While recent advances in cancer therapy have given many patients hope and have led to very high survival rates, treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery may have life-altering implications including ovarian damage and premature menopause – both of which can have significant impact on current and future fertility.

The decision to consider cancer fertility options (Oncofertility) in the face of fertility-threatening cancer treatment is difficult. Decisions regarding the timing of cancer treatment and disposition of the eggs or embryos, should the patient not regain the health needed to carry a pregnancy, are never easy and require the support of family and friends and the expertise of a wide range of health care specialists. Often doctors are focused on saving a patient’s life and are not used to thinking about preserving a patient’s fertility and incorporating fertility preservation (Oncofertility) into her or his care.

At CRH we are committed to providing you the option of fertility preservation and will do so in an open and frank manner. Thanks to significant advances in reproductive medicine, there are technologies now available that can help to preserve fertility avoid infertility prior to undergoing cancer treatment.

Successful parenthood options exist for men and women before, during, and after treatment. Many of these cancer fertility treatment options are available here at CRH (Please contact us for further information on any of the following fertility-preserving options).

Men

• ­Sperm banking
• ­Epididymal Sperm Aspiration, freezing and Storage
• ­Testicular sperm extraction, freezing and Storage

Women

• ­Radical trachelectomy (removing only the cervix for cervical cancer)
• ­Egg freezing and Storage
• ­Embryo Freezing and Storage
• ­Ovarian transposition. Using laparoscopic techniques, the ovaries can be moved to a position outside of the direct radiation portal with virtually no postoperative complications. Ovarian function is preserved in most patients with successful transposition, especially in patients younger than 40 years. Subsequent intrauterine pregnancy after laparoscopic ovarian transposition has been reported.

Infertility Options During Cancer Treatment

Women

• ­Gonadotropin agonist therapy

Infertility Post- Cancer Treatment Options

Men

• ­Testicular sperm extraction

Women

• ­Assisted reproduction
• ­Donor oocytes
• ­Donor Embryos
• ­Gestational carriers