2023-12-20 21:34:14
Dr. Dana Kimelman | Gynecologist | Oncofertility area of Personalized Medicine
Oncofertility is a discipline, a medical specialty. Its mission lies in safeguarding the quality of life of individuals in early stages such as childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, who are facing oncological diseases that, through their treatments, could affect their fertility.
This discipline, which offers Personalized Medicine – MP It encompasses a series of multidisciplinary areas within the scientific and medical field, which converge with the purpose of finding solutions. Its objective is to provide these people with solutions that contribute to improving their quality of life, including the prospect of conceiving children in the future.
What diagnoses are important to consult with?
The term “oncofertility” highlights its focus on the diagnosis of oncological diseases. However, there are also other complex medical pathologies whose treatments can affect the patient’s fertility. Once health professionals become aware that patients are going to receive medications or treatments that could influence their fertility, it is imperative that they are properly advised and referred for a timely consultation.
How does cancer treatment affect fertility?
Cancer-targeted treatments can have varying impacts on fertility, manifesting in a variety of ways:
Chemotherapy is a type of systemic oncospecific treatment, and it can affect fertility in both women and men in different ways. The intensity of these effects may vary depending on the drugs used; it should be noted that there is no zero risk in this context. Drugs are classified according to their level of risk, which can be high, moderate, low or unknown. Radiotherapy to the pelvic region and potentially sterilizing surgeries can also affect fertility in both women and men.
Conceptually, it is suggested that all patients who receive a diagnosis of oncological disease be referred to receive appropriate counseling. Subsequently, in conjunction with treating physicians, a range of fertility preservation strategies available to patients should be evaluated.
How is the best fertility preservation option determined?
The different strategies aimed at preserving fertility are chosen based on the medical diagnosis, the patient’s age and the planned medical treatments. For example, in the case of women who have reached puberty and are in the early stage of adulthood, oocyte preservation, a standardized technique, is chosen. On the other hand, in the male context, semen preservation is used, which is where the male gametes are found.
In the childhood stage, fertility preservation presents more complex challenges, because some strategies are still considered experimental in our medical community and technology is in full development, with the aim of being able to offer these options as soon as possible.
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