Oncofertility

Oncofertility

Cryopreservation techniques for reproductive cells and embryos allow the preservation of fertile potential in people with disabling diseases, such as oncological diseases.

Cancer can occur at a young age but, fortunately, is often treatable, allowing a long and normal life after treatment.

Cancer “survivors” can have children and grow them and see them as adults, provided they take precautions at the right time.

Oncofertility has developed in recent years, but still faces reluctance from those unfamiliar with the field.

Freezing oocytes

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Freezing oocytes
  • Freezing oocytes is a procedure that allows them to be stored for a long time.
  • Frozen oocytes are stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of -1960 C. The oocyte bank is constantly monitored and supplied with liquid nitrogen to ensure optimal storage conditions.
Why is treatment for cancer different from other fertility treatments?
  • There is non-hormonal ovarian stimulation medication that can also be given to women with estrogen-dependent cancers.

An example is Letrozole, a drug used in breast cancer

  • The start of treatment is not dependent on the phase of the menstrual cycle

The cryopreservation procedure can be started immediately, without delaying the oncological treatment

Why freeze oocytes?
  • If you are going to have surgery that may affect the ovaries
  • If you are going to have chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other treatments that affect fertility
  • If you don’t have a partner yet and you want children in the future
How is oocyte freezing performed?
  • To increase the chance of success of the future reproductive procedure, more frozen oocytes are needed.
  • To obtain more oocytes, ovarian stimulation medication is administered for 9-10 days, similar to the IVF procedure. After the development of several follicles containing oocytes, the oocytes are taken by ovarian puncture, with sedation or anesthesia.
  • Upon thawing, the oocytes will be fertilized in vitro to obtain embryos.
Chances of success and risks
  • Not all oncological diseases allow the treatment and freezing of oocytes without risks
  • In certain types of cancer, the risk of malignancy can be transmitted through reproductive cells
  • The number of oocytes collected may be insufficient to ensure a reasonable chance of success
  • Oocyte quality may be affected by disease or treatment, without this being identifiable prior to freezing.
  • The risk of ovarian stimulation medication is not sufficiently studied in association with some oncological diseases, therefore, many oncologists have a cautious attitude and do not recommend cryopreservation of oocytes.

Freezing sperm

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  • Freezing sperm allows sperm to be stored for long periods of time.
Why freeze semen?
  • If you are going to have surgery that may affect your fertility
  • If you are going to have chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other treatments that affect fertility
How is sperm frozen?
  • Sperm is harvested by masturbation, as for the spermogram.
  • At freezing, in the case of semen with normal parameters, several cryotubes can be obtained, which allows subsequent use for several reproductive procedures.
Chances of success and risks
  • Most frozen sperm are resistant to freezing
  • The chances of IVF success are similar to IVF procedures in which semen is not frozen
  • From existing data, cryopreservation does not appear to increase the risk of fetal abnormalities

Freezing of embryos

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  • Freezing embryos allows them to be stored for long periods of time.
  • It involves a treatment similar to that of freezing oocytes, but then they are fertilized in vitro. The viable embryos obtained are frozen.
How is the freezing of embryos different from that of oocytes?
  • It requires the existence of a partner, and he to provide sperm for fertilization
  • It involves a higher cost, given the in vitro fertilization procedure
  • It has better predictability in terms of success rates
  • In the case of freezing of oocytes, no information is known about their quality
  • No viable embryos may be obtained from frozen oocytes
Why freeze embryos?
  • If you are going to have surgery that may affect the ovaries
  • If you are going to have chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other treatments that affect fertility
  • If you have a partner and you want children in the future
  • If you want more predictability in terms of chances of success
OncoFert program
  • In the Gynera Clinic, oncology patients benefit from a 25% discount for oocyte cryopreservation procedures, respectively sperm and free storage of samples up to 3 years.