Preservation of Fertility or Ovarian Function in Patients with Breast Cancer or Gynecologic and Internal Malignancies.

Preservation of Fertility or Ovarian Function in Patients with Breast Cancer or Gynecologic and Internal Malignancies. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2017 Aug;77(8):861-869 Authors: Stachs A, Hartmann S, Gerber B Abstract Because of the efficacy of systemic therapies, neoplasias which occur in pediatric and adolescent patients and in young adults have high cure rates. This means that fulfilling their wish to have children has become a more pressing concern, particularly among young women with malignant tumors. Premature ovarian failure is also a not insignificant problem as it has a lasting detrimental effect on quality of life. Every oncology patient who may potentially wish to have children should be informed about their options for preserving fertility prior to starting treatment. The rates of patient who received detailed briefing on this point remain low. This review presents the effects of different chemotherapeutic drugs on gonadal function together with an overview of currently valid recommendations on fertility preservation. Risk groups are defined and the specific approaches for malignancies of various organ systems are described. Cryopreservation of oocytes, fertilized embryos and ovarian tissue are fertility-preserving options for girls/young women. The data on the benefits of administering GnRH analogs for ovarian protection prior to starting chemotherapy are not clear. In postpubertal boys or male cancer patients, the stand...
Source: Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde - Category: OBGYN Tags: Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd Source Type: research