Oncofertility

Cancer sometimes strikes women below the age of 40 who would like to have children. Because cancer treatments can impact fertility, a variety of assisted conception techniques are available to these patients. 

 

For this, we work in collaboration with the reproductive medicine physicians and biologists at Purpan University Hospital and the Clinique Saint-Jean. Every case is discussed at a multidisciplinary cancer-fertility meeting involving members from each team. Several techniques are available:

  • Harvesting and freezing of eggs (ovocyte cryopreservation), with or without hormonal stimulation;
  • Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue.

 

These meetings evaluate the risk to fertility for each patient, taking into account her age, previous fertility, ovarian reserve and the treatments envisaged. Oncologists and reproductive medicine physicians work together to examine every case from a multidisciplinary perspective in order to determine the most appropriate technique without compromising treatment.

Decisions on how the tissues or eggs harvested are used are taken by the patient in consultation with the doctors looking after her.

It is important to note that patients will usually need to use contraception during treatment.