RESUMO

Purpose: Oncofertility is an emerging discipline which aims to preserve fertility of young cancer patients. As fertility preservation services have become increasingly available to cancer patients in many countries around the globe, it is crucial to establish a foundation of collaborative reporting to continuously monitor and assess oncofertility practices. This survey study investigates the current global landscape of official national oncofertility registries, a vital tool which allows for surveillance of the field. Methods: An online pilot survey was conducted to give the opportunity to report official national oncofertility registries available in 2022. Survey questions covered the availability of official national registries for oncofertility as well as the official national registries for cancer and assisted reproductive technologies. Participation in the survey was voluntary, anonymous and for free. Results: According to our online pilot survey, responses were collected from 20 countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Japan, Kenya, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, UK, USA & Uruguay. Only 3 out of the 20 surveyed countries have well-established official national oncofertility registries; and include Australia, Germany & Japan. The Australian official national oncofertility registry is part of Australasian Oncofertility Registry that also includes New Zealand. The German official national oncofertility registry is part of FertiPROTEKT Network Registry for German speaking countries that also includes Austria & Switzerland. The Japanese official national oncofertility registry includes Japan only and called Japan Oncofertility Registry (JOFR). A supplementary internet search confirmed the aforementioned results. Therefore, the final list of countries around the globe that have official national oncofertility registries includes Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Some other countries such as the USA and Denmark are on their way to establish official national registries for oncofertility care. Conclusion: Although oncofertility services are expanding globally, very few countries have well-established official national oncofertility registries. By reviewing such a global landscape, we highlight the urgent need for having a well-established official national oncofertility registry in each country to monitor oncofertility services in a way that best serves patients.

Assuntos

Assuntos

RESUMO

The ovaries are the female gonads that are crucial for reproduction, steroid production, and overall health. Historically, the ovary was broadly divided into regions defined as the cortex, medulla, and hilum. This current nomenclature lacks specificity and fails to consider the significant anatomic variations in the ovary. Recent technological advances in imaging modalities and high-resolution omic analyses have brought about the need for revision of the existing definitions, which will facilitate the integration of generated data and enable the characterization of organ subanatomy and function at the cellular level. The creation of these high-resolution multimodal maps of the ovary will enhance collaboration and communication among disciplines and between clinicians and researchers. Beginning in March 2021, the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development invited subject-matter experts to participate in a series of workshops and meetings to standardize ovarian nomenclature and define the organ's features. The goal was to develop a spatially defined and semantically consistent terminology of the ovary to support collaborative, team science-based endeavors aimed at generating reference atlases of the human ovary. The group recommended a standardized, 3-dimensional description of the ovary and an ontological approach to the subanatomy of the ovary and definition of follicles. This new greater precision in nomenclature and mapping will better reflect the ovary's heterogeneous composition and function, support the standardization of tissue collection, facilitate functional analyses, and enable clinical and research collaborations. The conceptualization process and outcomes of the effort, which spanned the better part of 2021 and early 2022, are introduced in this article. The institute and the workshop participants encourage researchers and clinicians to adopt the new systems in their everyday work to advance the overarching goal of improving human reproductive health.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Purpose: Infertility is a major problem affecting children, adolescents, and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, either due to the disease itself or because of oncologic treatment. Oncofertility (OF) focuses on counseling cancer patients about fertility risks and preservation options. However, OF and fertility preservation (FP) conversations on Twitter and their impact are unknown. We aim to characterize the users and type of content of these conversations. Materials and Methods: This observational study analyzed tweets with the hashtags "#Oncofertility" and "#FertilityPreservation" over eight months. We classified Twitter accounts by user type and country. Tweets were categorized by content type, and retweets and likes were quantified. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: A total of 399 tweets from 223 different accounts were evaluated. Twitter accounts comprised 22 countries and stemmed from high, upper-middle, and lower-middle-income countries in 86.5%, 5.4%, and 6.3%, respectively; no accounts from low-income countries were found. Accounts were mostly from physicians (37%) and healthcare centers (20%); we did not find any patient accounts. The most common content category was informative tweets directed to patients (30.8%), followed by discussion/sharing of medical papers (25.6%). Only 14.5% of tweets contained information about children and adolescents. Still, only 4.5% were aimed at children. Retweets were absent in 16.5% of the tweets, and 80.7% did not have comments. Conclusion: OF and FP discussions on Twitter were limited to interactions among medical professionals. Also, advocacy groups showed limited activity on social media. Even though a significant proportion of tweets directed to patients were found, no active involvement of patients was observed. Finally, limited number of tweets (4.5%) were directed to children and adolescents. There is a need to raise awareness about the effects of cancer on fertility in this group. Currently, Twitter is not a resource of information for children and AYAs with cancer who need OF counseling and fertility preservation. Our results open a debate on how to promote the use of social media in the future to improve the quality of OF information available, awareness, and care since there is an unmet need for fertility preservation access in young cancer patients.

Assuntos

RESUMO

En el presente trabajo nos proponemos visibilizar el padecimiento psíquico de las mujeres que atraviesan un cáncer ginecológico y que, además, deben hacer frente a la imposibilidad de gestar como consecuencia de la enfermedad. Y también reflexionar sobre el trabajo del psicólogo en este ámbito. Para cumplir con nuestro objetivo nos valdremos del episodio cinco de la segunda temporada de la serie televisiva estadounidense "New Amsterdam" (S2, E 5), estrenada en el año 2018 en Netflix, la plataforma de streaming estadounidense

In this paper we intend to make visible the psychological suffering of women who go through a gynecological cancer and who, in addition, must face the impossibility of gestating as a result of the disease. And also reflect on the work of the psychologist in this area. To meet our goal, we will use episode five of the second season of the American television series "New Amsterdam" (S2, E 5), premiered in 2018 on Netflix, the American streaming platform

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: Outcome data for oocyte vitrification for fertility preservation are still scarce despite the scientific and technological advances. Studies suggest that patients with cancer have worse outcomes regarding mature vitrified oocytes when compared to healthy patients. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the oocyte vitrification response in patients undergoing elective and oncofertility preservation. METHODS: The ovarian stimulation response was verified by a cross-sectional and observational study, analyzing data from 367 patients between 2009 and 2018, which were divided into elective group (EG; n=327) and oncofertility group (OFG; n=40). The number of follicles, oocytes, mature oocytes, and duration of the cycle was evaluated, which were compared with clinical and ovarian stimulus data between groups. RESULTS: A significant difference in women's age (31.3±5.8 vs. 37.0±2.9 years; p<0.01) and basal values of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), (4.0 [3.3 - 6.2] vs. 9.0 [5.4 - 9.9] mIU/mL; p<0.01) were observed. When adjusting data for age, FSH and Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone protocols, no significant difference in the number of vitrified mature oocytes between the two groups were observed (6.0 [3.0-11.0] vs. 7.0 [3.0-12.0]; p=0.11). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, patients undergoing elective and oncofertility preservation seem to respond similarly to controlled ovarian stimulation for fertility preservation. Breast cancer was the most frequent in the OFG (67%).

Assuntos

RESUMO

Guidelines recommend discussing fertility preservation with patients with cancer. In Mexico, internists frequently are the primary care provider (PCP) for adults in reproductive age. The knowledge of oncofertility among PCPs in low and middle income countries is poorly known. Internal medicine residents in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City participated in a survey regarding fertility concepts in cancer patients. Sixty-three residents participated; their median age was 27. Thirty percent reported 0% self-perceived confidence for providing counseling about fertility issues, and 26% reported more than 50% self-perceived confidence. Twenty-eight percent reported not asking patients in reproductive age about satisfied parity/paternity. Eighty-one percent correctly identified patients that should receive fertility counseling, and 68% identified alkylating chemotherapy as having the highest risk of infertility. Fifty-four percent were able to name at least one fertility preservation (FP) strategy for males, whereas 49% were able to name at least one strategy in females. Residents who reported at least 50% self-perceived confidence for providing fertility counseling were more likely to name at least one FP strategy for men (64.7%) versus those who reported less than 50% self-perceived confidence (52.1%), but this result was not statistically significant (p = 0.378). This was similar for FP strategies in women, with 64.7% of more confident residents naming at least one, compared with 43.4% of less confident residents (p = 0.134). Knowledge of FP in patients with cancer is insufficient among internal medicine residents in our institution. Inclusion of oncofertility concepts in the internal medicine program is needed.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To study the knowledge, attitude, and intentions towards fertility preservation (FP) in cancer patients among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Northern India. METHODS: The survey discussed in this study was a 23-item structured questionnaire on oncofertility designed based on previous studies on the topic. A link to the questionnaire was sent through WhatsApp to healthcare workers involved in the care of cancer patients. Their responses were analyzed subsequently. RESULTS: More than a third (37.7%) of the 750 HCWs contacted answered the questionnaire. The group included gynecologists, surgeons, and oncologists. Although 90% of the respondents were aware of the harmful effects of cancer therapy on ovarian function, 76% claimed they had only partial knowledge about fertility preservation (FP). Only a fourth of the respondents were aware of the time needed for oocyte cryopreservation and a third had knowledge of the number of semen samples required for FP. Among HCWs involved in the care of young cancer patients, only 50% reported that they had referred patients for FP. The most common reason for not referring patients for FP was lack of knowledge about FP (43%). More than 90% claimed they wanted to improve their knowledge about oncofertility through continued medical education programs and seminars. CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the need for establishing well-structured networks to improve knowledge about FP among HCWs, so that cancer patients are offered the chance of using their gametes to have children after they have been cured from cancer.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Introdução: as terapêuticas oncológicas oferecem riscos de infertilidade, por isso a mulher com câncer em idade reprodutiva requer cuidados abrangentes sobre a oncofertilidade, já que, de 3% a 10% dos diagnósticos de câncer em todo o mundo ocorrem neste grupo. Com o aconselhamento pretende-se auxiliar essas mulheres quanto à fertilidade futura, e na tomada de decisão sobre preservar ou não a fertilidade. Objetivo: analisar as evidências científicas sobre o aconselhamento em preservação da fertilidade de mulheres em idade reprodutiva com diagnóstico de câncer, realizado antes de um tratamento oncológico. Método: revisão integrativa da literatura, com buscas realizadas nas bases de dados PubMed/ Medline, Cinahl, Lilacs, Embase, Scopus e Web of Science, no dia 12 de abril de 2022, sem restrição de tempo. Para a seleção dos estudos foi utilizada a plataforma Rayyan. Foram seguidas as etapas: definição do tema e da questão de pesquisa, amostragem, categorização, avaliação, interpretação e síntese do conhecimento científico. Resultados: foram identificados 897 documentos, 230 eram duplicados, 667 estudos foram analisados por meio da leitura de título e resumo e 29 artigos selecionados para a leitura na íntegra. Após essa leitura, foram incluídos seis artigos e um outro foi incluído a partir da identificação da lista de referências, compondo a amostra final de sete estudos. Os estudos confirmaram a importância do esclarecimento a respeito dos riscos de infertilidade advindos do tratamento oncológico e dos aspectos que envolvem as técnicas de preservação da fertilidade; como taxa de sucesso, taxa de gestação, custos, opções disponíveis e riscos associados. Pode-se observar que, para muitas mulheres após o diagnóstico, importa a possibilidade da maternidade, não necessariamente por gerar filhos, mas recorrendo a outras estratégias, como adoção e útero de substituição. Os estudos foram classificados como baixo risco de viés e seis estudos eram nível VI de evidência, e um de nível II. Conclusões: o aconselhamento em preservação da fertilidade é fundamental para esclarecer as consequências dos tratamentos oncológicos considerados gonadotóxicos, na perspectiva do cuidado centrado na pessoa. Atribui-se ao profissional de saúde o papel de esclarecer as nuances das técnicas de preservação da fertilidade disponíveis e apoiar as mulheres no processo de tomada de decisão. Além disso, o uso de materiais educativos e auxiliares de decisão contribuem na transmissão das informações e minimizam o conflito de decisão sobre preservar ou não a fertilidade

Introduction: Oncological therapies offer risks of infertility, so women with cancer at reproductive age require comprehensive care about oncofertility, since 3% to 10% of cancer diagnoses worldwide occur in this group. With counseling we intend to help these women regarding future fertility, and in making a decision about preserving or not fertility. Objective: analyze the scientific evidence on fertility preservation counseling for women of reproductive age diagnosed with cancer, performed prior to oncologic treatment. Method: integrative literature review, with searches conducted in the PubMed/ Medline, Cinahl, Lilacs, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases on April 12, 2022, without time restriction. The Rayyan platform was used to select the studies. The steps were followed: definition of the theme and research question, sampling, categorization, evaluation, interpretation and synthesis of scientific knowledge. Results: a total of 897 documents were identified, 230 were duplicates, 667 studies were analyzed by reading the title and abstract, and 29 articles were selected for reading in full. After this reading, six articles were included and another one was included from the identification of the reference list, composing the final sample of seven studies. The studies confirmed the importance of clarifying the infertility risks arising from cancer treatment and the aspects involving fertility preservation techniques, such as success rate, pregnancy rate, costs, available options and associated risks. It can be observed that, for many women after the diagnosis, the possibility of motherhood matters, not necessarily by generating children, but by resorting to other strategies, such as adoption and surrogate uterus. The studies were classified as low risk of bias and six studies were level VI evidence, and one was level II. Conclusions: fertility preservation counseling is essential to clarify the consequences of oncologic treatments considered gonadotoxic, from the perspective of person-centered care. The healthcare professional was assigned the role of clarifying the nuances of available fertility preservation techniques and supporting women in the decision-making process. In addition, the use of educational materials and decision aids contribute to the transmission of information and minimize the conflict of decision about whether or not to preserve fertility

Assuntos

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: In the French West-Indies, few studies have been performed on fertility and sexual problems in cancer survivors, which are frequent and recurring issues reported by surveys on unmet needs. Additionally, mutualizing human and material resources and promoting cooperation through a collaborative platform are the most appropriate response to complex health pathways in the Caribbean territories. Implementation of such a collaborative platform will help to launch a strategic Caribbean partnership to transfer theoretical and technical skills and care standards in oncofertility and oncosexuality. METHODS: We propose to set up a collaborative digital platform to strengthen, from the French expertise, Cuban health professionals' knowledge, know-how, and skills in oncofertility and oncosexuality. The project will be coordinated by a coordinating, scientific, and supervisory committee, and the main activities will include: 1. Theoretical training in e-learning adapted to low-speed Internet. 2. Practical training in fertility preservation and sexual rehabilitation. 3. Digital multidisciplinary consultation meetings for medical decisions to be taken for complex clinical cases. The platform will benefit from a recurrent evaluation, by the two cancer registries of Martinique and Cuba, with the following performance indicators: number of Cuban professionals trained, number of professionals sensitized, hourly volumes (or number of training courses provided), satisfaction of trained professionals, number of e-RCPs carried out online and number of missionaries supported. These indicators will be set up and analyzed by the registers. This project meets the Cuban and French health policies (cancer plans and national sexual health strategies) and will be implemented in liaison with the Health Agencies of both countries and the Embassy of France in Cuba. DISCUSSION: This project aims to provide support through bilateral exchanges to improve reproductive and sexual health in Cuba's cancer patients. This collaboration will be based on a long-lasting French expertise and a solid Cuban health system. Consequently, this collaborative digital platform will contribute to data collection for cancer surveillance, and the two participating countries will ultimately be identified in the Caribbean as having centers of competence and excellence in oncofertility and oncosexuality with care standards.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Abstract Objective: To analyze the long-term effects of antineoplastic treatments on patient fertility. Selection of Studies: The studies were selected through the New PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs databases along with references used for the creation of the present work. For the selection of studies, articles published between the periods from January 1, 2015 to April 6, 2020 in the English, Portuguese and Spanish languages were used. As inclusion criteria: cohort studies and studies conducted in vitro. As exclusion criteria: review articles, reported cases, studies that do not address thematic reproduction, studies that do not address the cancer theme, articles that used animals, articles that address the preservation of fertility and articles in duplicate in the bases. Data Collection: The collected data included: age of the patient at the beginning of treatment, type of neoplasm, type of antineoplastic treatment, chemotherapy used, radiotherapy dosage, radiotherapy site, effect of antineoplastic agents on fertility and number of patients in the study. Data Synthesis: Thirty studies were evaluated, antineoplastic chemotherapy agents and radiotherapy modulate serum hormone levels, reduces germ cell quantities and correlated with an increase in sterility rates. The effects mentioned occur in patients in the prepubertal and postpubertal age. Conclusion: Antineoplastic treatments have cytotoxic effects on the germ cells leading to hormonal modulation, and pubertal status does not interfere with the cytotoxic action of therapies.

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar os efeitos a longo prazo dos tratamentos antineoplásicos na fertilidade de pacientes. Fontes de dados: Os estudos foram selecionados através das bases de dados New PubMed, Scielo e Lilacs, junto com as referências utilizadas para a confecção do trabalho. Seleção dos estudos: Para a seleção dos estudos, foram utilizados artigos publicados entre os períodos de 01 de janeiro de 2015 a 06 de abril de 2020 nos idiomas inglês, português e espanhol. Como critérios de inclusão: estudos de coorte e estudos realizados in vitro. Como critérios de exclusão: artigos de revisão, relatos de caso, estudos que não abordavam a temática reprodução, estudos que não abordavam a temática câncer, artigos utilizando animais, artigos que abordavam preservação da fertilidade e artigos em duplicidade nas bases. Coleta de dados: Os dados coletados incluíram: idade do paciente ao início do tratamento, tipo de neoplasia, tipo de tratamento antineoplásico, quimioterápicos utilizados, dosagem da radioterapia, local da radioterapia, efeito dos agentes antineoplásicos na fertilidade e número de pacientes dentro do estudo. Síntese de dados: Trinta estudos foram avaliados. Os agentes quimioterápicos antineoplásicos e a radioterapia modulam níveis séricos hormonais de marcadores de fertilidade, reduzem a quantidade de células germinativas e estão correlacionados com um aumento da taxa de esterilidade. Os efeitos citados anteriormente ocorreram em pacientes com idade pré-púbere e pós-púbere. Conclusão: Os tratamentos antineoplásicos possuem efeitos citotóxicos em células germinativas, levando a modulação hormonal, e o status puberal não interfere diretamente na ação citotóxica das terapias.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess whether a diagnosis of cancer interferes with ovarian function prior to the treatment of the disease. METHODS: This observational retrospective study used data from medical records of ovarian stimulation cycles performed for purposes of oocyte cryopreservation. RESULTS: The included patients had a mean age of 35.13±3.72 years and 51.6% of them were aged between 36 and 40 years. More than half of the patients (57.6%) were single and 82.1% had a normal body mass index (BMI). Most women had not become pregnant (85.5%) or had babies (95.1%) or miscarriages (89.6%) prior to cryopreservation. The mean number of oocytes obtained from non-cancer patients was 11.4±8, while for cancer patients the number was 13.8±9. The mean number of frozen mature oocytes was 9.7±7 for the non-cancer group and 11.2±7.2 for the cancer group. The majority (63.1%) of the patients had up to 10 oocytes frozen per cycle. Breast cancer had the highest incidence among the included patients. There was no significant difference in ovarian response between patients with different types of cancer. CONCLUSION: The number of harvested and frozen oocytes from cancer and non-cancer patients indicated that in the two groups response to ovarian stimulation was similar.

Assuntos

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Fertility preservation (FP) is a major determinant of quality of life after cancer remission for women who may not have achieved their ideal family size. This article describes the FP services and strategy currently available, highlighting issues of oncofertility worldwide. For these patients in complex situations, health networks are essential to improve coordination of care, and the strengthening of this coordination is a major challenge to improve the performance of the health system. Two international networks have been created in order to foster scientific exchange between countries and to standardize the oncofertility healthcare circuit. However, the paucity of referral nationwide networks lead to a structural gap in health care policies. SHORT CONCLUSION: Management strategies of oncofertility in the world are still fragile and uneven. To structure the oncofertility sector, a multidisciplinary project allowing teams to collaborate is of utmost importance particularly in low and middle-income countries.

Assuntos

RESUMO

PURPOSE: The risk of ovarian failure after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy is a concern among oncologic women. There is no doubt regarding the psycho-emotional benefits of fertility preservation (FP) after a cancer diagnosis because concerns about biological conception are a source of anxiety and can even affect the patient's cancer recovery. The aim of this study was to evaluate oncology patients' feelings, concerns, and life quality impacts related to FP. METHODS: This qualitative cross-sectional study was based on a questionnaire administered to a selected group of women diagnosed with cancer who underwent FP. Thirty-four eligible women (23-39 years old) completed this questionnaire. RESULTS: Two of the participants already had a child, and most of them (61.8%) stated a desire to have children at the time of FP. Their feelings primarily involved safety (44.1%) and hope (23.5%). Time and/or financial issues (82.4%) were the main challenge for FP. All of the women noted the importance of FP, with many stating that it is warranted to allow the possibility of a biological pregnancy due to the risk of infertility. Finally, questions about the impact on their lives if they had not undergone FP indicated emotional impairment, low quality of life, relationship problems, and uncertainty about maternity. CONCLUSIONS: FP for oncology patients is a positive strategy. The women in this study felt that FP was a worthwhile process and that the security of having undergone FP brought them peace during oncological treatment and contributed to their quality of life.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Physicians from 6 non-oncology pediatric subspecialties were surveyed about fertility preservation (FP) to assess education/service needs. Almost all (96%; 25 of 26) reported having patients at risk of infertility; however, only 58% (15 of 26) had discussed FP with patients' families. Most subspecialists (92%; 23 of 25) would like access to an FP program. Our data support exploring the expansion of FP programs beyond oncology.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Constant progress in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer disease has increased the number and prognosis of cancer survivors. However, the toxic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on ovarian function have resulted in premature ovarian failure. Patients are, therefore, still expecting methods to be developed to preserve their fertility successfully. Several potential options are available to preserve fertility in patients who face premature ovarian failure, including immature or mature oocyte and embryo cryopreservation. However, for children or prepubertal women needing immediate chemotherapy, cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is the only alternative. The ultimate aim of this strategy is to implant ovarian tissue into the pelvic cavity (orthotopic site) or in a heterotopic site once oncological treatment is completed and the patient is disease free. Transplantation of ovarian tissue with sufficiently large numbers of follicles could potentially restore endocrine function and allow multiple cycles for conception. However, the success of ovarian tissue transplantation still has multiple challenges, such as the low number of follicles in the graft that may affect their longevity as well as the survival of the tissue during ex vivo processing and subsequent transplantation. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the achievements of ovary grafting and the potential techniques that have been developed to improve ovarian graft survival.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge about the risk of infertility in cancer patients after treatment, and the options for fertility preservation based on a survey carried out during the 2013 Pink October campaign. METHODS: This survey was carried out during the 2013 Pink October event in the most important public park of São Paulo, Brazil. Approximately 900 people expressed interest in learning about breast cancer prevention and fertility preservation by participating in workshops, and 242 people filled out a questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the respondents (78.5%) were women, and one-fourth (25%) had at least one relative with gynecological cancer. Among women over 40 years of age, 86.3% had been screened for breast cancer at some point. However, few participants (34.0%) were aware that cancer treatment can lead to infertility or had heard about fertility preservation options (22.0%). Having a relative with cancer did not influence their knowledge about fertility preservation (22.4% versus 21.3%; p=0.864). However, a higher educational level was significantly associated with more knowledge about the effects of cancer on fertility and options for fertility preservation. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participants did not have knowledge about the impact of oncologic treatment on fertility and did not know that there are options to preserve fertility in cancer patients. Awareness of infertility risk factors is an essential first step to safeguard future fertility, and therefore, more educational initiatives are needed to spread knowledge about oncofertility.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Post-treatment fertility emerges as an important issue in the early counseling of individuals with cancer, since survivors may have their quality of life affected by the occurrence of functional failure of the gonads because of antineoplastic therapies. In the context, oncofertility has been developed as an interdisciplinary field of study that combines expertise in reproductive medicine and oncology, to provide strategies aiming to maintain the possibility of future procreation. Today, we have many options and techniques available for the preservation of gametes in men and women. Some of them are already considered well established and used in routine, but ethical and moral issues on the subject still need to be debated.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Malignant and cardiovascular diseases are the main causes of death in Brazil. Estimates for 2013 predict the occurrence of 189,150 new cases of cancer in Brazilian women. With advanced detection tools, patients are diagnosed and treated for cancer at a younger age and are more likely to survive. The cytotoxic action of chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy very frequently implies serious damage to the gonads, and consequences due to the hypoestrogenism, such as osteoporosis, infertility and premature ovarian failure, are expected. Oncofertility, then, appears as a new area of reproductive medicine, which is dedicated to the development of strategies for the reduction of therapeutic sequels in cancer survivals, ultimately aiming the maintenance of their quality of life and the possibility of biological maternity. This article aims to present an overview of possible options for female fertility preservation after cancer and future perspectives in oncofertility.