Cancer and Fertility

2010 OMG! Summit - Oncofertility Panel

How Cancer Can Affect a Man's Fertility

How Cancer Treatment Regimes Can Affect Fertility:

 Radiation Therapy

         - May cause dose related suppression of spermatogenesis

Chemotherapy

            - Alkylating agents do the most damage 

                        Risk is increased with:

                                 A.  Two or more alkylating agents, 

                                 B.  Higher doses

                                 C.  Combination of chemo with radiation

                                 D.  High dose cisplatinum/bleomycin 

Surgeries

               - Examples: Testicular, prostate or bladder cancer surgery

               - May cause retrograde ejaculation

How to Preserve Your Fertility Before Treatment:

Sperm Banking:
The most proven and successful method of preserving fertility for male cancer patients. Once the sperm has been frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen, there are no known upper limits on how long it can be preserved. There is a case report of a live birth after 28 years of storage.

How Stored Sperm Can Be Used in the Future:

Fertility Treatment Options with Frozen Sperm:

ICI or IUI:

• This option is for men with semen quality that is closer to normal.

IVF :

• The best option for men with a limited number of vials or poor quality.

IVF-ICSI:

• When there are very few sperm and the quality is low this may be the only option for fertility. One, two or, occasionally, three embryos can be placed into the uterus of the female partner in the hopes that they will implant and start a pregnancy.

Coming soon...information on cancer and female fertility