Fertility preservation is about helping cancer patients retain their fertility or their ability to reproduce. Thanks in part to an increase in the survival rate of cancer patients, research into cancer’s effects on reproductive health and preservation is growing. Those who are being treated for cancer want to know how cancer treatment can affect their ability to have a child, as well as what fertility preservation steps they can take before beginning cancer treatment.
Certain cancer treatments can harm fertility temporarily or permanently. This depends on the type and stage of your cancer, the type of cancer treatment, and your age at the time of treatment. Cancer treatments might include:
- Surgery: The surgical removal of the testicles, uterus, or ovaries can diminish fertility.
- Chemotherapy: Effects can vary depending on the drug and dosage. The most damaging drugs are alkylating agents and cisplatin. Chemotherapy is less likely to cause infertility in younger women than in older women.
- Radiation: Radiation can be more damaging to fertility. High doses of radiation can destroy some or all of the eggs in the ovaries.
- Hormone therapies: When used to treat certain cancers, including breast cancer in women, these can affect fertility. However, once treatment stops, fertility might be restored.
If you are planning cancer treatment and want to preserve your fertility, a fertility specialist can explain your options, answer your questions and serve as your fertility advocate during treatment. Fertility can be damaged by a single cancer therapy session. For women, some fertility preservation methods are typically applied during certain phases of the menstrual cycle. If you need to delay cancer treatment in favor of fertility preservation, learn how this might affect your cancer. For men, steps to preserve fertility before cancer treatment may include:
- Sperm cryopreservation: The procedure involves freezing and storing sperm at a fertility clinic or sperm bank for use at a later date. Samples can be stored for years.
- Radiation shielding: This involves using small lead shields placed over the testicles to reduce their radiation exposure.
