Preservation of fertility in patients with hematological malignancies

Fertility preservation in males with cancer of trends, region development, and efficacy in mainland China from 16 regions Chinese sperm banks

PURPOSE

Male cancer survivors experience confusion about fertility following cancer treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate survivors' semen quality in different tumor type groups in China and to analyze the current situation and challenges of male cancer patients with sperm cryopreservation.

METHODS

This was a multicenter retrospective study of male patients with cancer who underwent sperm cryopreservation in 16 regions of the national sperm banks over an 11-year period from 2010 to 2020.

RESULTS

The number of male cancer patients with sperm cryopreservation showed an overall upward trend. The development of male cancer fertility preservation (FP) in the eastern, central, and western regions of Chinese displayed imbalance. There are seven tumor types for sperm preservation in the top incidence ten tumor types, including lymphoma, leukemia, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, sarcoma, thyroid cancer, and brain tumor. Moreover, nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a high incidence rate in China, which is related to high sperm preservation rate, different from other countries. The most percentage of males receiving sperm cryopreservation in the testicular cancers (15-39 years old) of China in 2020 was 5.55%, 1.29% in the lymphoma, and 0.39% in the leukemia. According to the type of cancer, a statistically significant lower pre-sperm density, total sperm output, and post-sperm density was observed in testicular cancers. It is worth noting that the prevalence of azoospermia 22.2% in leukemia patients attribute to urgent treatment before sperm cryopreservation. Disposition of cryopreserved sperm categories included continued storage (47.2%), discarded (9%), death (0.9%), and use (3.7%).

CONCLUSION

This study provides the first comprehensive national statistical census and review of fertility preservation in male cancer patients with respect to trends, prevalence, and cancer types. The development of male cancer fertility preservation in China is imbalanced and percentage of males receiving sperm cryopreservation in the adolescent and young adult cancers was low. Sixteen human sperm banks from China analyze current problems and challenges, and then prioritize steps toward the achievement of the FP strategy framework for Healthy China 2030.

Fertility preservation in hematological cancer patients

Among adolescents and young adults, hematological malignancies are the most common malignancies. Although the survival rate of hematological malignancies in young patients has been dramatically improved, due to the continuous improvement and development of tumor diagnosis and treatment options, cytotoxic therapies can significantly reduce a patient's reproductive capacity and cause irreversible infertility. The most two established solutions are embryo cryopreservation and oocyte cryopreservation which can be considered in single female. Sperm or testicular tissue cryopreservation in adult male are feasible approaches that must be considered before gonadotoxic therapy. A comprehensive consultation with reproductive specialists when once diagnosed is a significantly issue which would help those survivors who want to have children. In this article, we review germ cell toxicity, which happens during the treatment of hematological malignancies, and aims to propose safety, efficacy fertility preservation methods in younger patients with hematological malignancies.

Current Status and Issues of Collaboration Between Physicians and Pharmacists in Fertility Preservation

Purpose: This study addresses the critical issue of fertility preservation among young patients with cancer in Japan, recognizing the brief decision-making window and the need for comprehensive support. Pharmacists, well-versed in the side effects of anticancer drugs, can play a vital role in this support process. However, the extent of pharmacists' involvement in fertility preservation remains unclear. We aimed to investigate pharmacists' roles in addressing cancer treatment-induced fertility concerns and their collaboration with physicians, offering insights into enhancing pharmacist participation in fertility preservation. Methods: A survey conducted between April and July 2022 targeted doctors and pharmacists at cancer treatment hospitals, along with pharmacists affiliated with the Japanese Society of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences. Results: Our findings indicated that although pharmacists had limited knowledge about gonadotoxicity and fertility, they expressed readiness to conduct research and provide information when consulted. Approximately 10%-20% of the pharmacists participated in explaining the primary disease at diagnosis. Pharmacists played a more prominent role after establishing chemotherapy regimens, with less involvement in its formulation. Notably, treatment decision case conferences emerged as crucial forums for gathering patient data, confirming treatment plans, and identifying those in need for fertility preservation information. Roughly half of the pharmacists attended these conferences, suggesting a need for increased participation. Conclusion: Enhancing physician-pharmacist collaboration could be pivotal for effective fertility preservation. This requires augmenting the knowledge and awareness of both professions and encouraging greater participation in case conferences to create a conducive environment for addressing this critical aspect of cancer care.

Fertilidade e contracepção em mulheres com câncer em tratamento quimioterápico

RESUMO Objetivo identificar em mulheres em idade reprodutiva, com câncer e durante o tratamento quimioterápico, as orientações sobre preservação de fertilidade e planejamento reprodutivo e conhecer as informações fornecidas pela equipe de saúde. Métodos estudo descritivo, realizado com mulheres na pré-menopausa, com diagnóstico de câncer e em tratamento quimioterápico. A coleta de dados foi realizada com apoio de um instrumento com informações sociodemográficas, sobre o câncer e seus tratamentos, informações referentes a preservação de fertilidade e uso de métodos contraceptivos antes e após o diagnóstico do câncer. A análise dos dados foi feita por meio de estatística descritiva. Resultados a média de idade das 49 participantes foi de 38,2 anos (DP=6,1) e 79,6% estavam em tratamento devido ao câncer de mama. Quanto as informações recebidas sobre a importância do planejamento reprodutivo, 77,6% das participantes referiram que foram orientadas e 59,2% receberam tais orientações da equipe médica. Entretanto, em relação ao aconselhamento sobre métodos para manter a fertilidade, apenas, 6,1% das participantes foram orientadas. Conclusão e Implicações para a prática Deve-se considerar a relevância do aconselhamento especializado e a da manutenção de tomada de decisões ativas da mulher sobre a preservação de sua fertilidade.