A new study points to the need for increased awareness of fertility preservation options for young patients with cancer.
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To investigate, Margarett Shnorhavorian, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACS, of the University of Washington, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and her colleagues asked 459 adolescents and young adults who were diagnosed with cancer in 2007 or 2008 to complete questionnaires. Most striking, nearly one-third of males reported making arrangements for fertility preservation, which was four to five times higher than the rate seen in females.
“All patients – not just those without children – should have discussions about fertility preservation”, she said by email.
Some cancer therapies may only impact a patient’s fertility short term, while other treatments – such as surgical removal of the womb, for example – can cause infertility.
” Despite these tips, testimonials are inconsistently created, even in particular multidisciplinary companies, and many reproduction-age patients still begin cure ” observe the research authors.
Recommendations from your National Society of Medical Oncology (ASCO) recommend oncologists speak with reproductive-age cancer patients about their risk of infertility and direct these for consultations regarding fertility preservation.
Fertility can be adversely impacted by some solutions regarding clients of reproductive-age. For example, embryo cryopreservation – where eggs are harvested from the ovaries, fertilized via in vitro fertilization (IVF), frozen and stored – may be an option for women. Gonadal shielding – wherever testicles are safeguarded from radiation publicity – maybe an alternative for guys.
The relatively small size of the study made it impossible to draw broader conclusions about women who did make fertility preservation arrangements, the researchers acknowledge in the journal Cancer.
Seventy-four percent of women said they were advised that therapy could affect their fertility, but only 34 percent had discussed preservation options.
Nonwhite men were less likely to discuss their options, as were participants who lacked insurance and those who already had children.
The findings also revealed that a patient’s socioeconomic status, child-rearing status and medical factors may influence the occurrence of fertility discussions with their health care provider.
More than 70% of the patients reportable being told that treatment could have an effect on their fertility; but, male patients were quite doubly as probably as feminine patients to report that fertility preservation choices were mentioned.
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Male patients without those without a college degree, personal medical insurance and the ones who raised kids were additionally less likely to want to get built agreements regarding fertility availability.
