Current and Future Perspectives for Improving Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Transplantation Outcomes for Cancer Patients

TY - JOUR

T1 - Current and Future Perspectives for Improving Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Transplantation Outcomes for Cancer Patients

AU - Lee, Sanghoon

AU - Ozkavukcu, Sinan

AU - Ku, Seung-Yup

N1 - Funding Information: The authors express deep appreciation for the critical review and kind suggestions of Prof. Stephen B. Howell at the Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. This work was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Korean government (NRF-2016R1C1B3015250). Funding Information: This work was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Korean government (NRF-2016R1C1B3015250). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021/6/1

Y1 - 2021/6/1

N2 - Although advances in cancer treatment and early diagnosis have significantly improved cancer survival rates, cancer therapies can cause serious side effects, including ovarian failure and infertility, in women of reproductive age. Infertility following cancer treatment can have significant adverse effects on the quality of life. However, established methods for fertility preservation, including embryo or oocyte cryopreservation, are not always suitable for female cancer patients because of complicated individual conditions and treatment methods. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation is a promising option for fertility preservation in pre-pubertal girls and adult patients with cancer who require immediate treatment, or who are not eligible to undergo ovarian stimulation. This review introduces various methods and strategies to improve ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation outcomes, to help patients and clinicians choose the best option when considering the potential complexity of a patient’s situation. Effective multidisciplinary oncofertility strategies, involving the inclusion of a highly skilled and experienced oncofertility team that considers cryopreservation methods, thawing processes and devices, surgical procedures for transplantation, and advances in technologies, are necessary to provide high-quality care to a cancer patient.

AB - Although advances in cancer treatment and early diagnosis have significantly improved cancer survival rates, cancer therapies can cause serious side effects, including ovarian failure and infertility, in women of reproductive age. Infertility following cancer treatment can have significant adverse effects on the quality of life. However, established methods for fertility preservation, including embryo or oocyte cryopreservation, are not always suitable for female cancer patients because of complicated individual conditions and treatment methods. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation is a promising option for fertility preservation in pre-pubertal girls and adult patients with cancer who require immediate treatment, or who are not eligible to undergo ovarian stimulation. This review introduces various methods and strategies to improve ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation outcomes, to help patients and clinicians choose the best option when considering the potential complexity of a patient’s situation. Effective multidisciplinary oncofertility strategies, involving the inclusion of a highly skilled and experienced oncofertility team that considers cryopreservation methods, thawing processes and devices, surgical procedures for transplantation, and advances in technologies, are necessary to provide high-quality care to a cancer patient.

KW - Fertility preservation

KW - Ovarian freezing

KW - Autologous transplantation

KW - Cancer treatment

KW - Oncofertility

KW - Primary ovarian insufficiency

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85103387220

U2 - 10.1007/s43032-021-00517-2

DO - 10.1007/s43032-021-00517-2

M3 - Review article

C2 - 33791995

SN - 1933-7191

VL - 28

SP - 1746

EP - 1758

JO - Reproductive Sciences

JF - Reproductive Sciences

IS - 6

ER -