Fertility after cancer

1 in 10 cases of cancer are seen in adults of reproductive age. With rapid advances in treatment methods for young adults and women of childbearing age who are suffering from cancer, the chances of long-term survival for many diseases with a poor prognosis have greatly improved.

However, some surgeries and many many forms of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which have been shown to be so effective for survival rates, can have a negative effect on the functioning of the ovaries, testicles or uterus. Their damaging effect on the eggs that develop in the ovary can lead to the loss of a significant part of the ovarian function, amenorrhea (loss of the cyclic pattern) irreversible and possibly in early menopause. Women of reproductive age may therefore be faced with a possible loss of their future fertility or a decrease in the chances of having children in the future.

These treatments do not have to end the hopes of having a family. Nowadays, in some if not all cases, women with cancer may be able to preserve their fertility by freezing their eggs or embryos before they are treated against cancer, and men will be able to freeze sperm them.

Our main concern is to map the most successful treatment strategy together with your oncologist. At the same time and in collaboration with your oncologist, we will be able to discuss the options of fertility preservation more thoroughly and perhaps schedule a treatment within 48 hours if necessary. If, after discussion, you decide to proceed with a fertility preservation process, treatment can be started immediately so that the planned oncological treatment is not delayed.

Ioannis A. Sklavounos MD MSC DFFP
Obstetrician Surgeon Gynecologist
Specialists & Retrained in Great Britain
T.Senior Clinical Fellow – Liverpool Woman’s Hospital UK

IVF

Fertility & IVF Center in Maroussi

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