Preservation of fertility in cancer patients
Written by:Of the nearly 800,000 female cancers diagnosed each year in Spain, 4% are in women under 35 years. Moreover, there is a growing trend in recent years by the decision to have children is delayed. Thus, a diagnosis of cancer can occur before the woman (or man) have completed (or even started) their reproductive project.
Fortunately, in many cases the prognosis after a diagnosis of cancer is favorable. However, some proposed treatments may have side effects including a greater or lesser degree of infertility. The frequency of cancer treatment promises of absolute or relative future fertility of a woman depends on several factors: the dose and type of treatment, age of the patient and the extent of the area to apply the treatment.
In any case, oncologists should, based on the prognosis of cancer to be treated, inform the patient of the possible side effects of treatment among which can be an absolute or relative infertility. And as a result, a communication must be established with specialists in assisted reproduction that can report on the different options existing preservation. In short, the different options fertility preservation should be an integral part of improving the quality of life for cancer survivors patients.
