Cancer patients face fertility battle

FERTILITY issues can present survivors of cancer with some of the biggest challenges in overcoming the disease, a conference in Dublin heard yesterday.

Dr Allan Pacey, a senior lecturer in reproductive and developmental medicine at the University of Sheffield, highlighted how infertility is one of the main long-term effects of cancer treatment.

Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy can reduce or damage the sperm-producing cells of the testicles, meaning that fewer sperm are made once cancer treatment has finished. Similarly, such treatments can reduce the number of eggs in the ovaries of female cancer sufferers as well as reducing the ability of the womb to support a pregnancy.

Speaking at the conference organised for support groups affiliated to the Irish Cancer Society, Dr Pacey said methods for preserving the fertility of females were at a less advanced stage than for males.

More than 300 delegates, including many cancer survivors, are attending the two-day conference in Dublin Castle that opened yesterday.

Dr Pacey pointed out that the ability to preserve male sperm in sperm banks was well established.

“The only viable fertility preservation option for women is to create and store embryos with in-vitro fertilisation prior to cancer treatment if there is time to do so,” said Dr Pacey.

However, he also observed that many young women and teenagers were not able to take advantage of this option as they were also required to have a partner to provide sperm.

The conference heard that Human Assisted Reproduction Ireland, which is based at the Rotunda Hospital, only offers sperm banking for males aged 16 and over and egg banking to females aged 18 and over.

But figures for the National Cancer Registry show that in 2005 — the latest year for which figures are available — there were 78 new cases of cancer in females aged 10-19 and 62 new cases among males in the same age group.

Dr Parry said oncologists in the past had largely overlooked the issue of taking steps to preserve fertility when dealing with young cancer patients. However, he welcomed the growing awareness among both medical staff and cancer patients of the need to consider such steps.

Prof John Spinetta, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, stressed that the experience of cancer can have a life-affirming impact which most survivors use as a stimulus to growth and maturity.