Fertility counselling and fertility preservation among early onset female cancer patients—A Finnish register‐based study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Advances in multimodality cancer treatments have increased long‐term survival rates for early onset cancer patients, with 5‐year survival rates reaching 80% in Northern Europe. According to recent recommendations, clinicians should, as early as possible, inform cancer patients about the impact that cancer treatment may have on their fertility. Still, there is limited published data on fertility counselling (FC) and fertility preservation (FP) for cancer patients. Methods This register‐based study used hospital records to identify female cancer patients in the hospital district (n = 192) who received FC at the age of 16–42 years between 2011 and 2019. Results Altogether, 97 (50.5%) cancer patients were eligible for FP. Of these, 55 (56.7%) underwent FP, whereas 42 (43.3%) declined. Women undergoing FP were recommended cancer treatments with a higher risk of infertility (p = 0.01), and women with breast cancer were more prone to undergo FP than women with lymphoma (p = 0.043). In FP treatment cycles, the mean number of oocytes retrieved (13.9 ± 7.7 vs. 12.0 ± 6.5, p = 0.04) and transferrable embryos (4.7 ± 2.9 vs. 3.7 ± 2.8, p = 0.002) was higher among cancer patients compared to age‐matched comparisons with male or tubal factor infertility. The total mean gonadotropin dose used was higher among cancer patients (2243 ± 963 IU vs. 1679 ± 765 IU, p < 0.001). Conclusion We conclude that a good ovarian response during FP can be achieved in female cancer patients.

Keywords

• controlled ovarian hyperstimulation
• embryo cryopreservation
• female cancer patients
• fertility counselling
• fertility preservation
• oocyte cryopreservation