Oncofertility Preservation in Cancer Patients
Summary
Oncofertility preservation encompasses the strategies and interventions designed to safeguard reproductive potential in individuals diagnosed with cancer. Modern oncological regimens—including alkylating chemotherapy, pelvic and cranial radiotherapy, and radical surgery—can compromise ovarian and testicular function by depleting primordial follicles or impairing spermatogenesis. Preservation techniques range from oocyte and sperm cryopreservation to ovarian tissue banking and gonadal shielding. Emerging protocols employ gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists as ovarian protectants and in vitro maturation of gametes to broaden eligibility. Assessment of ovarian reserve through biomarkers such as anti-Müllerian hormone informs personalised counselling and risk stratification. The process hinges on timely multidisciplinary collaboration between oncologists, reproductive specialists and psychosocial teams, ensuring that patients receive clear guidance on fertility risks, preservation options and future family planning. Global adoption of oncofertility services has expanded access to fertility preservation, thereby enhancing long-term quality of life and survivorship outcomes for young people confronting cancer.
Research from Nature Portfolio
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Oncofertility Preservation in Cancer Patients publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in oncofertility preservation in cancer patients across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Oncofertility: The interdisciplinary field combining oncology and reproductive medicine to preserve fertility in cancer patients.
Cryopreservation: The process of freezing biological tissues or cells (gametes, embryos or ovarian tissue) at ultra-low temperatures for future use.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH): A hormone secreted by ovarian follicles used as a biomarker to estimate ovarian reserve and predict response to stimulation.
Gonadotoxicity: The deleterious effect of certain cancer treatments on gonadal cells, leading to reduced fertility or gonadal failure.
Oocyte cryopreservation: A fertility preservation technique in which mature eggs are harvested, frozen and stored for later fertilisation.
References
- The impact of cancer on subsequent chance of pregnancy: a population-based analysis. Human Reproduction (2018).
- Pretreatment anti-Müllerian hormone predicts for loss of ovarian function after chemotherapy for early breast cancer. European Journal of Cancer (2013).
- Clinicians’ Perspectives on Barriers to Discussing Infertility and Fertility Preservation With Young Women With Cancer. JAMA Network Open (2019).
- Need for information, honesty and respect: patient perspectives on health care professionals communication about cancer and fertility. Reproductive Health (2018).
- Fertility preservation in women affected by gynaecological cancer: the importance of an integrated gynaecological and psychological approach. Ecancermedicalscience (2020).
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