A cancer diagnosis can bring a huge amount of processes in a short period of time. Timelines, treatment decisions, hospital plans, and family conversations all at once. In the middle of it, fertility is the thing that anyone thinks to bring up. For most of the patients, it does not come up at all. This is the gap that matters a lot. Most cancer treatments, like chemotherapy, some radiation and surgeries, can damage or destroy fertility. For patients who are not ready yet to build their families, fertility preservation before cancer treatment is an important, time-sensitive decision that you have to make before starting the treatment.
Why Cancer Treatment Can Affect Fertility
In cancer treatment, chemotherapy drugs can target dividing cells; that is how chemotherapy kills cancer. But the sperm-producing cells in the testes and the egg-producing cells in the ovaries are also dividing rapidly. Chemotherapy can destroy or damage both.
The extent of damage depends on:
- Drugs used during chemotherapy
- Total dose received
- Age of patient ( young patients have more fertility reserves to begin with and can tolerate the damage better.)
- Cancer type and its effects on the reproductive organs
- Radiation therapy to the abdomen, pelvis or brain can affect the uterus, ovaries, testes and hormonal signals that are responsible for controlling reproduction. Radiation to the brain may damage the pituitary gland, which regulates the hormones that drive testicular and ovarian function.
- Surgeries for gynaecological cancers can involve the removal of the uterus, ovaries or cervix. Surgery for testicular cancer may involve the removal of one or both testes.
Options For Fertility Preservation For Women
The options available for fertility preservation before cancer treatment in Ludhiana for women are mentioned below:
- Egg freezing, particularly before cancer treatment, is called oocyte cryopreservation; it’s the fertility preservation option for women who don’t want to create an embryo. The ovaries get stimulated with hormone injections to produce multiple eggs. These are retrieved in minor procedures under flash-freezing or light sedation for storage.
- Approximately, this process takes 10 to 14 days from starting the hormone injection to egg retrieval. During cancer care, this process can be critical. Fertility specialists and oncologists need to communicate closely so that delays do not compromise the cancer treatment.
- At the early stage, when tumors are solid, a two-week delay can be acceptable, and it does not affect the treatment results. In case of aggressive cancers, this window can be unavailable or tighter.
Embryo Freezing
- For women with partners who agree to use donor sperm, embryo freezing is an option with high success rates. The process is similar to egg freezing till the retrieval process; after that, the eggs are fertilised, and the resulting embryo is created.
- Embryo freezing is legally and ethically complex because the embryo involves both the partners, and the decision about what happens to the frozen embryo if the patient dies or the relationship changes needs to be documented clearly before storage.
Ovarian Tissue Freezing
- For patients who cannot delay treatment, including children with cancer, ovarian tissue freezing is the best alternative. A piece of ovarian tissue is removed with the help of surgical methods, frozen and implanted after treatment is complete. After implantation, the ovary can resume its function normally, and women can conceive naturally.
- This treatment is only offered at selected specialist centres and is relevant for pre-pubertal girls who are not able to complete the stimulation cycle.
Fertility Preservation Options For Men
Here’s the fertility preservation before cancer treatment guide for men:
Sperm Banking
- Before cancer treatment, sperm banking is a straightforward technique and can be done within one or two days of diagnosis. A sample of semen is collected and analysed, and the sperm is frozen for future use.
- This is an important fertility preservation step for male cancer patients at reproductive age, and this process is discussed and completed before any cancer treatment starts. Even a single session of chemotherapy can damage sperm production.
- A single sample can be useful, but having two to three samples on consecutive days can provide a better buffer since the sperm count and quality can differ between samples.
- Males who are not able to produce the sample through ejaculation can have sperm retrieved by surgical methods from the testes.
After Testicular Cancer Surgery
- Men who have testicles removed for testicular cancer can regain the ability to produce sperm from the remaining testicles in most cases.
- But radiation or chemotherapy can affect the remaining testicles. Sperm banking before any cancer treatment is recommended even if one testicle is healthy.
Conclusion
Fertility does not have to be lost to cancer treatment. The technology works, options exist, and the time required to act is short. For the patients who are dealing with cancer at reproductive age, the conversation about fertility preservation is important at the time of diagnosis, not after the months when the time has passed. Ask about fertility preservation before cancer treatment questions to the oncologist or the fertility specialist at Sofat Fertility & Women Care Centre. Dr. Sumita Sofat is the best and most experienced fertility specialists who deal with both male and female fertility cases and provide the appropriate treatment according to the condition.
FAQ’S
Is it also possible for men to preserve fertility before cancer treatment?
Yes, it’s also possible for men to preserve their fertility before cancer treatment.
Does all cancer treatment affect fertility?
Not all cancer treatments do, but most cancer treatments can increase the risk of affecting fertility.
Why is it important to preserve fertility before cancer treatment?
It’s important to preserve fertility before cancer treatment so that individuals can build their family after cancer treatment is completed, because if fertility is not preserved before cancer treatment, then the window of being a parent may close once treatment begins.
How much time is required for egg freezing before treatment?
Egg freezing can take 10 to 14 days before treatment.
When to talk with a doctor for fertility preservation?
You can talk with a doctor about fertility preservation before treatment begins.
