Fertility preservation in women of reproductive age with cancer.

Abstract

Advances in cancer care have improved survival, driving the need to mitigate the side effects of cancer therapy to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors. Use of fertility preservation has grown given the potential gonadotoxicity of chemotherapy and radiation, the increasing rate of treatment success, and the strong desire for childbearing in cancer survivors. Current options include embryo and oocyte cryopreservation, ovarian tissue cryopreservation, gonadal suppression, and ovarian transposition. Consultation with a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist trained in fertility preservation provides cancer patients an individualized risk assessment for future gonadal failure and discussion of potential fertility preservation options.