What are Some Fertility Preservation Options for Cancer Patients? 

One of the major issues that arise for individuals with a cancer diagnosis is trying to stay positive and imagine a future where they completely recover from the disease. Imagining a future or trying to fit a scenario where they have children in that future is usually assumed as a very low-priority need at that moment. However, in cancer treatment, assessing the options open to a patient is an integral part of the consultation process. In the consultation, several topics are discussed, they include the patient’s medical condition, the plan of treatment for cancer, and their goals for the future when they make a full recovery. What are Some Fertility Preservation Options for Cancer Patients? 

Discussing Fertility Preservation Options amid Cancer

In these discussions about the future, one of the topics discussed is a future where the patient wants to start a family. This is because, usually, the cancer treatments can negatively affect the individual’s chances of having children, sometimes long after the completion of the treatment. This reality is especially more so for the types of cancer that affect the reproductive organs like the ovaries or testicles, or that occur near them. It can also happen if the treatment plan involves therapies that can seriously affect those organs like chemotherapy. 

Surgeries that are aimed at removing the cancer via removing the affected organ like surgeries to remove a testicle, an ovary, or the fallopian tube can also negatively affect the chances of the individual to conceive in the future. In the case that cancer affects a region close to the reproductive organ, surgery may need to be done in the area, and the reproductive organ may be affected. 

Finally, radiation therapy can kill cancer cells, but can permanently damage the testes, ovaries, or uterus which can eliminate the chances of the individual having children. This is why the doctor needs to help the patient in deciding to preserve their ability to have children before the treatment is started.

What are Women’s Options for Fertility Preservation?

The main aim or technique for fertility preservation in females is the freezing of either the ova (egg) or an embryo. This can enable the woman to carry a baby with these eggs, even in the case where her ovary does not produce any eggs in the future. In the instance that the uterus is also damaged, with these eggs the patient can explore how surrogacy can help her achieve her dreams of children and a family. However, these techniques have a high success rate, but it is influenced by the following factors:

• The medical condition of the woman
• The fertility history of the woman
• Her genes
• Her lifestyle
• The type of cancer diagnosis that she has

What is the Process of this Preservation?

The process first starts with a period of ovarian stimulation for the woman. This is done in order to mature multiple ovarian follicles. The medications that will induce this stimulation are either ingested orally or administered through injections. They facilitate the development and maturation of multiple ovarian follicles at the same time. The medications are prescribed by a fertility specialist and the instructions should be followed specifically.

In some cases where the patient has cancers that are hormone affected, the administration of this fertility medication will have a side effect where that may hasten the growth of these cancers. In such cases, the potential benefit for future children must then be weighed against the potential of making the cancer worse. The ovarian response to the stimulation is closely monitored via blood tests and ultrasounds. When the follicles are ready, they are aspirated, and the eggs are extracted from them. The process involves inserting an ultrasound probe into the patient’s vagina to guide the needle for the aspiration process. The procedure is done under sedation, and the entire process takes about 10-30 minutes. 

The Process of Cryopreservation

After the aspiration and extraction, the eggs are put in a special solution and then taken to a lab. At this point, the eggs can be frozen, after which they are placed into liquid nitrogen and can then be stored indefinitely. This procedure has become a routine and successful process due to the advancement of technology. If the patient opts for the storage of embryos instead of eggs, the next option is to fertilize the egg, using her partner’s sperm or donated sperm. 

It is also noteworthy that embryo freezing has been going on much longer than egg freezing and may have a better success rate. A lot of discussions will have to be had about the entire process, some of them include the costs of the entire process and storage, also what to be done with the frozen eggs or embryos in case the woman does not need them again. In the future, when the woman wants to get pregnant, the eggs or embryos are removed and thawed. Some of them will not survive the thawing process but most will. The eggs are fertilized and transferred to the uterus, while the embryos are transferred directly. 

How long can the eggs or embryos be stored? 

Depending on the facility and the particular techniques employed eggs or embryos can be kept for a variety of times. In general, it is possible to keep eggs for up to 10 years and embryos for up to 5 years. After that, people can decide whether to use the eggs or embryos, throw them away, or store them for longer.

Fertility Preservation in Men

The process in men is much more straightforward, especially when compared with the female process. The process is non-invasive and can be done, with no medical intervention or help, except in really special cases. They can also hand in their samples at any time and multiple times without any special medical intervention or help. Also, men do not need any hormones to donate sperm which may adversely affect their cancer, unlike in women. 

The Process of Collection and Storage

The process of collection in men usually involves a collection bottle and a private room, but those that are unwilling to masturbate, usually are given a special condom that will collect the sperm sample during intercourse. After the collection, the semen is mixed with special fluids which prevent damage during the freezing and thawing process. The sample is then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen for future use. 

For men that cannot ejaculate for some reason, strategies like bladder collection, electroejaculation, or vibratory stimulation can be used to collect the sperm. The sperm can also be retrieved surgically for men that have small amounts of sperm or no mature sperm. It is recommended that two or three samples are collected for storage so that they can be divided into multiple vials which can be used for multiple conception attempts. The sperm can also be stored indefinitely. It is recommended that the male abstain from sex or masturbation for 3-5 days before the collection. 

What are the success rates for fertility preservation in men, and how does it differ from women?

The methods utilized and the patient’s age affect the success rates for fertility preservation. Since sperm can be frozen and preserved more easily than eggs, men generally have greater success rates than women. However, with improvements in technology and methods, success rates have recently increased for both men and women. 

Medical tourism can also help with this, especially if the couple feels like they can get better fertility experts through overseas medical treatment. Medical travel agencies or meditour agencies can also be helpful as they can help the couple plan and book these trips; this is a form of health tourism.