Fertility among female hodgkin lymphoma survivors attempting pregnancy following ABVD chemotherapy

Chemotherapy alone vs. chemotherapy plus radiotherapy in female adolescent and young adults with Hodgkin's lymphoma: reproductive health outcomes

PURPOSE

To examine the effects of Hodgkin's lymphoma and its treatment on reproductive health in female adolescent and young adults (AYA).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, population-based, matched-cohort study of female patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed at 15-39 years of age from 1995 to 2014 in Ontario, Canada. Three female individuals with no history of cancer (unexposed) were matched by birth year and census subdivision to each patient with cancer (exposed). In a subset of the cohort (2005 onwards), the Hodgkin's lymphoma patients were further classified into two groups for analysis based on treatment exposure: (1) chemotherapy alone or (2) combined chemotherapy and radiation. Reproductive health outcomes were infertility, childbirth, and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Relative risks (RR) were calculated using modified Poisson regression adjusted for income quintile, immigration status, and parity.

RESULTS

A total of 1443 exposed and 4329 unexposed individuals formed our cohort. Hodgkin's lymphoma patients were at an increased risk of infertility (aRR 1.86; 95% CI 1.57 to 2.20) and POI (aRR 2.81; 95% CI 2.16 to 3.65). While the risk of infertility persisted in both treatment groups (chemotherapy alone, combined chemotherapy plus radiotherapy), the increased risk of POI was only statistically significant in the chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group. No differences in childbirth rates were observed, overall or by treatment exposure compared with unexposed individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Female AYA survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma face an increased risk of infertility, independent of exposure to chemotherapy alone, or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. The risk of POI is higher in those requiring radiotherapy vs. chemotherapy alone.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

These results emphasize the importance of pre-treatment fertility counseling and reproductive health surveillance for AYAs diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Maximizing ovarian function and fertility following chemotherapy in premenopausal patients: Is there a role for ovarian suppression?

As more premenopausal patients undergo fertility preserving cancer treatments, there is an increased need for fertility counseling and ovarian sparing strategies. Many patients receive gonadotoxic chemotherapeutic agents which can put them at risk of primary ovarian insufficiency or profoundly diminished ovarian reserve. Traditionally, estradiol and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) values have been used to evaluate ovarian function but more recently, reproductive endocrinologists have been proponents of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) as a validated measure of ovarian potential. While the gold standard for fertility preservation remains oocyte cryopreservation, data suggest there may be additional interventions that can mitigate the gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents. The main objectives of this focused review were to quantify the risk of primary ovarian failure associated with the most common chemotherapies used in treatment of gynecologic cancers and to evaluate and recommend potential interventions to mitigate toxic effects on ovarian function. Chemotherapeutic agents can cause direct loss of oocytes and primordial follicles as well as stromal and vascular atrophy and the extent is dependent upon mechanism of action and age of the patient. The risk of ovarian failure is the highest with alkylating agents (42.2 %), anthracyclines (<10-34 % in patients under 40 years versus 98 % in patients aged 40-49), taxanes (57.1 %) and platinum agents (50 %). Multiple trials demonstrate that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, when administered concurrently with chemotherapy, may have protective effects, with more patients experiencing resumption of a regular menstruation pattern and recovering ovarian function more quickly post-treatment. Premenopausal patients receiving chemotherapy for the treatment of gynecologic cancers should receive adequate counseling on the potential adverse effects on their fertility. Although oocyte cryopreservation remains the gold standard for fertility preservation, there is some evidence to suggest that GNRH agonists could help maintain and preserve ovarian function and should be considered.

Management of limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a rare type of B-cell malignancy with bimodal age distribution targeting young adults and elderly. Prognostic models are available to identify risk of recurrence and response to treatment. Currently, positron emission tomography scanning is most useful in optimizing therapy. Outcomes are generally excellent with standard chemotherapy or combined modality therapy. Balancing efficacy and the risk of late effects in Hodgkin lymphoma is essential, including early detection of potential complications. Incorporation of novel therapies such as brentuximab vedotin and checkpoint inhibitors are being explored in the frontline setting, having already demonstrated improved survival and tolerable toxicity in advanced HL. Furthermore, the addition of these agents have the potential to transform treatment paradigms for early-stage HL and may result in improved outcomes with decreased risks of late toxicities that continue to afflict long-term survivors. However, the patient population, sequencing, and combinations with cytotoxic chemotherapy all remain still standing questions as results of current and upcoming randomized trials are awaited. In this article, we discuss the current data on the approach to initial treatment of early-stage classical HL, review toxicity profiles, and examine upcoming novel therapy trials.

Critical gaps in understanding treatment outcomes in adolescents and young adults with lymphoma: A review of current data

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with lymphoma experience treatment-related effects in the short and long term that impact their quality of life and survivorship experience. The effort to improve outcomes for AYA lymphoma survivors requires understanding the available literature, identifying current knowledge deficits, designing better clinical trials incorporating the patient perspective, using novel tools to bridge data gaps and building survivorship guidelines that translate research to clinical practice. This review article summarizes the current state of lymphoma treatment-related outcomes in AYAs and provides future direction.

Preservation of fertility in female patients with hematologic diseases

Recent developments of assisted reproduction techniques turned possible to avoid the infertility consequences of oncologic treatments, but fertility preservation (FP) has been somewhat neglected in women with hematologic diseases undergoing gonadotoxic treatments. For these specific cases, the current options for FP include the cryopreservation of embryos, mature oocytes and ovarian tissue, and oocyte in-vitro maturation. We intend to make patients and clinicians aware of this important and relevant issue, and provide hematologists, assisted reproduction physicians and patients, with updated tools to guide decisions for FP. The physicians of the units responsible for female FP should always be available to decide on the best-individualized FP option in strict collaboration with hematologists. With a wide range of options for FP tailored to each case, a greater level of training and information is needed among clinicians, so that patients proposed to gonadotoxic treatments can be previously advised for FP techniques in hematological conditions. ABBREVIATED ABSTRACT: Recent developments of assisted reproduction techniques turned possible to preserve the fertility of women with hematologic diseases undergoing gonadotoxic treatments. Current options for fertility preservation in women with hematologic diseases are presented. It is imperative to offer fertility preservation to all women before starting any gonadotoxic treatment and in some cases after treatment. Fertility preservation methods enable to later achieve the desired pregnancy.

Fertility preservation and monitoring in adult patients diagnosed with lymphoma: consensus-based practical recommendations by the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi & Società Italiana della Riproduzione Umana

Introduction

Fertility preservation (FP) and monitoring has considerable relevance in the multidisciplinary approach to cancer patients. In these consensus-based practical recommendations, the scientific societies Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) and Società Italiana della Riproduzione Umana (SIRU) reviewed the main aspects and identified the optimal paths which aim to preserve and monitor fertility in patients diagnosed with lymphoma at the different phases of the disease and during long-term survivorship.

Methods

For the Panel, eleven experts were selected for their expertise in research and clinical practice on onco-fertility and lymphoma. The Panel's activity was supervised by a chairman. A series of rank-ordering key questions were proposed according to their clinical relevance and discussed among the Panel, focusing on patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and Hodgkin lymphoma. Agreement among all the Panelists on the content and terminology of the statements was evaluated by a web-based questionnaire according to the Delphi methodology.

Results

From the literature review a total of 78 questions or sentences, divided into the 6 areas of interest, were identified. By applying the Gwet's AC, k was: Section 1: 0,934 (Very good); Section 2: 0,958 (Very good); Section 3: 0,863 (Very good); Section 4: 0,649 (Good); Section 5: 0,936 (Very good); Section 6 raw agreement 100%. Two rounds of Delphi allowed to provide the maximum agreement. All statements were newly discussed in a round robin way and confirmed for the drafting of the final recommendations.

Discussion

These recommendations would be useful for onco-hematologists, gynecologists, urologists, and general practice physicians who take care of young lymphoma patients to guarantee an evidence-based oncofertility assessment and treatment during the oncologic pathway.

Hodgkin lymphoma and female fertility: a multicenter study in women treated with doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine

Preservation of fertility has become a growing concern in young females with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). However, the rate of pregnancy after the current most frequently prescribed ABVD (doxorubicin [Adriamycin], bleomycin, vinblastine, and darcarbazine) chemotherapy for HL has rarely been studied. In this study, we aim to determine the impact of ABVD on the fertility of women treated for HL. We conducted a noninterventional, multicenter study of female patients of childbearing age who were treated for HL. Two healthy apparied women nonexposed to chemotherapy (our controls) were assigned for each patient. Fertility was assessed by the number of pregnancies and births after HL treatment. Sixty-seven patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 24.4 years (range, 16-43). HL was a localized disease for 68.7%. Of all the patients, 53.7% started at least 1 pregnancy after treatment vs 54.5% of the controls (P = .92). Of all the patients who desired children, 81% had at least 1 pregnancy. Patients treated with ABVD did not have a longer median time to pregnancy (4.8 years in the group of patients and 6.8 years for controls). Across patients, there were 58 pregnancies and 48 births (ratio, 1:2) and 136 pregnancies and 104 births (ratio, 1:3) for the control cohort. No increase in obstetric or neonatal complications has been reported in HL in our study. The number of pregnancies, births, and the time to start a pregnancy in young women treated with ABVD for HL is not different from that of controls. Therefore, females with HL treated with ABVD should be reassured regarding fertility.

Fertility preservation in pediatric leukemia and lymphoma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

Certain chemotherapy agents, radiation, and surgery can all negatively impact future fertility. Consults regarding treatment-related risk for infertility and gonadal late effects of these agents should occur at the time of diagnosis as well as during survivorship. Counseling on fertility risk has traditionally varied significantly across providers and institutions. We aim to provide a guide to standardize the assignment of gonadotoxic risk, which can be used in counseling patients both at the time of diagnosis and in survivorship. Gonadotoxic therapies were abstracted from 26 frontline Children's Oncology Group (COG) phase III protocols for leukemia/lymphoma, in use from 2000-2022. A stratification system based on gonadotoxic therapies, sex, and pubertal status was used to assign treatments into minimal, significant, and high level of increased risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility. Risk levels were assigned to protocols and different treatment arms to aid oncologists and survivor care providers in counseling patients regarding treatment-related gonadotoxicity. Males were most commonly at high risk, with at least one high-risk arm in 14/26 protocols (54%), followed by pubertal females (23% of protocols) and prepubertal females (15% of protocols). All patients who received direct gonadal radiation or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) were considered at high risk. Partnering with patients and their oncology/survivorship team is imperative for effective fertility counseling both prior to and post treatment, and this comprehensive guide can be used as a tool to standardize and improve reproductive health counseling in patients undergoing COG-based leukemia/lymphoma care.

Effects of ABVD chemotherapy on ovarian function: epidemiology, hormonal dosages and ultrasound morphologic analyses in 270 patients with Hodgkin's disease

Introduction

Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is a lymphoproliferative disease typically diagnosed in the young. The excellent results obtained with current treatment lead to long survival with age-related complications affecting patients' survival and quality of life. One issue affecting HL patients is infertility. This problem can be easily overcome in males with seminal liquid cryopreservation, however, in females it is more complex either in terms of the quality of the cryopreserved material or the patients' age at diagnosis. Moreover, not all chemo- or radio-therapies have the same negative impact on fertility.The main objectives of this study was to collect epidemiological information on HL patients involved in fertility preservation counseling and to analyze the impact of ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine), the standard treatment for HL, on ovarian function, hormonal levels and ovarian and uterine tissue morphologies. Patterns of fertility preservation were also reported.

Methods

Data were obtained from 270 female patients at HL onset who were interested in fertility counseling prior to therapy initiation. Each patient was assessed at HL diagnosis for levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and 17β-oestradiol (17β-oe), with additional assessments at 6 and 12 months after chemotherapy. Patients were evaluated with ultrasound scans to study the number of ovarian follicles and the degree of uterine thickness at the same timepoints.

Results

The average patient AMH level showed a statistically significant reduction at 6 months after chemotherapy (p=0.05) and by the 12 month time point returned to near pre-chemotherapy values. FSH and 17β-oe levels did not significantly vary throughout the study period. ABVD chemotherapy was associated with a significant reduction of both ovarian follicles and endometrial thickness at the 6 month time point followed by a recovery at the 12 time point in both ovaries. Different results were observed when patients changed treatment to a more intensive one.

Discussion

Based on the results from the hormonal measurements and the follicle echography, it appears that the toxic effect of ABVD on fertility is transient, whereas, in contrast, more intensive therapies may potentially be more harmful and long-lasting.

Unusual Presentation of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Pregnancy: A Case Report and Systematic Review of Literature

Diseases occurring during pregnancy create a dilemma of managing the patient without causing harm to the unborn child. Three percent of the peak incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is congruent with the reproductive period, particularly with pregnancy. Pregnant patients with HL always require a team of medical experts ranging from a medical oncologist, high-risk obstetrician, and neonatologist. Effective communication with both the patient and family is also necessary. The treatment goal for these patients should focus on achieving complete remission for the mother while permitting the delivery of a healthy child. Pregnant patients diagnosed with HL should undergo similar clinical investigations as other non-pregnant patients with accurate disease staging and appropriate non-radiation imaging such as ultrasound while avoiding invasive procedures.

Guideline for the first-line management of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma - A British Society for Haematology guideline

This guideline was compiled according to the British Society for Haematology (BSH) process at https://b-s-h.org.uk/media/16732/bsh-guidance-development-process-dec-5-18.pdf. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) nomenclature was used to evaluate levels of evidence and to assess the strength of recommendations. The GRADE criteria can be found at http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org. Recommendations are based on a review of the literature using Medline, PubMed/Medline and Cochrane searches beginning from 2013 up to January 2021. The following search terms were used: [Hodgkin lymphoma OR Hodgkin disease] NOT non-Hodgkin; AND [chemotherapy OR radiotherapy]; AND [elderly]; AND [teenage OR adolescent OR young adult]; AND [pregnancy]. Filters were applied to include only publications written in English, studies carried out in humans, clinical conferences, congresses, clinical trials, clinical studies, meta-analyses, multicentre studies and randomised controlled trials. References pre-2013 were taken from the previous version of this guideline.¹ Review of the manuscript was performed by the British Society for Haematology (BSH) Guidelines Committee Haematology Oncology Taskforce, the BSH Guidelines Committee and the Haematology Oncology sounding board of BSH.

Multidisciplinary consensus on the criteria for fertility preservation in cancer patients

Infertility is one of the main sequelae of cancer and its treatment in both children and adults of reproductive age. It is, therefore, essential that oncologists and haematologists provide adequate information about the risk of infertility and the possibilities for its preservation before starting treatment. Although many international clinical guidelines address this issue, this document is the first Spanish multidisciplinary guideline in paediatric and adult oncological patients. Experts from the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology, the Spanish Fertility Society, the Spanish Society of Haematology and Haemotherapy, the Spanish Society of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology and the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology have collaborated to develop a multidisciplinary consensus.

Male and Female Fertility: Prevention and Monitoring Hodgkin' Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Adult Survivors. A Systematic Review by the Fondazione Italiana Linfomi

BACKGROUND

Adult patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have prolonged survival but face the risk of treatment-induced impaired fertility. This systematic review, conducted by Fondazione Italiana Linfomi (FIL) researchers, aims to evaluate the incidence of treatment-related infertility, fertility preservation options, fertility assessment measures, and the optimal interval between the end of treatment and conception.

METHODS

MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were systematically searched up to September 2020 for published cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies on fertility issues.

RESULTS

Forty-five eligible studies were identified. Gonadotoxicity was related to sex, type and dosage of treatment, and, in females, to age. After receiving alkylating-agent-containing regimens, less than 30% of males recovered spermatogenesis, and 45% of females ≥30 years in age retained regular menstrual cycles. Sperm cryopreservation was offered to the majority of patients; sperm utilization resulted in a 33-61% pregnancy rate. After ovarian tissue transplantation, the spontaneous pregnancy and live birth rates were 38% and 23%; after IVF, the live birth rate was 38.4%. No data could be extracted on the utilization rate of cryopreserved mature oocytes. The results of studies on GnRH analogs are controversial; therefore, their use should not be considered an alternative to established cryopreservation techniques. Sperm count, FSH, and inhibin-B levels were appropriate measures to investigate male fertility; serum AMH levels and antral follicle count were the most appropriate markers for ovarian reserve. No data could be found regarding the optimal interval between the end of treatment and conception.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of infertility should be discussed with adult lymphoma patients at the time of diagnosis, and fertility preservation options should be proposed before first-line treatment with alkylating-agent-containing regimens.

Multidisciplinary Management of Adolescent and Young Adult Patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma

OPINION STATEMENT

Successful management of adolescent and young adult patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) requires a multidisciplinary approach to care with special attention paid to the unique medical, logistical, and psychosocial challenges faced by this group. The emotional and social changes and big life transitions that occur between the ages of 15 and 39 result in a broad scope of supportive care needs that differ from children or adults in similar circumstances. Currently, care of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with HL may be fractured across the pediatric-adult cancer care continuum resulting in this group being less well studied than pediatric or adult patients in general. In order to optimize outcomes, these patients need access to medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, advanced practice providers (APPs), psychologists/social work, financial support services, fertility specialists, survivorship care, and advocates with AYA expertise that can help navigate the healthcare system. A strong AYA support system established early with targeted education and resources may influence treatment compliance and likelihood of long-term follow-up. Surveys of the AYA cancer population have identified areas of opportunity for the healthcare team to collaborate to identify needs, design interventions to meet them, and ultimately develop evidence-based guidelines that will enable us to offer AYAs with HL the quality care they deserve.

Unclassifiable lymphoma in pregnancy

A 28-year-old woman, 15 weeks pregnant, consulted for cervical ache and left laterocervical mass. Imaging scans revealed a large mediastinal mass that had spread to supraclavicular and left axillar spaces, including cervicobrachial plexus. Pathological anatomy confirmed an unclassifiable lymphoma, with intermediate features between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and classical Hodgkin's lymphoma. CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) therapy was started with partial response. But due to disease progression, an elective caesarean section was performed (30th week of pregnancy) to begin a chemotherapy regime incompatible with pregnancy. Despite acute complications related to prematurity, the newborn could be discharged from hospital at 45 days of life. The patient did not respond to the second treatment line and she is currently undergoing a third chemotherapy regime. Given the unusual occurrence of lymphoma during pregnancy, multidisciplinary teamwork between haematologists, neonatologists and obstetricians is essential to achieve the best maternal-fetal outcome.

A narrative review of pregnancy after malignancies in young women that don't originate in the female genital organs or in the breast

While cancer during pregnancy and its treatment has grown to be a popular topic in recent years, little is known on how to advise patients looking to conceive or conceiving after cancer treatment. The aim of this paper is to review the available literature on the impact of pregnancy on survivors of the most common childhood cancers, brain cancer, haematological malignancies, thyroid cancer, melanomas and sarcomas. Its main objective is to be a source of information for clinicians looking to counsel patients in these delicate moments exploiting all the available literature, albeit scarce. Given the available literature, we conclude that the presence of a multidisciplinary team is of great importance in supporting the patient and her loved ones when facing pregnancy with a previous cancer diagnosis.

Lymphoma Occurring During Pregnancy: Current Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Pregnancy-associated lymphoma (PAL) is an uncommon entity that lacks detailed prospective data. It poses significant management challenges that incorporate maternal and fetal risks associated with treatment or delayed intervention. Herein, we review the current literature for the diagnosis, management, and supportive care strategies for PAL.

RECENT FINDINGS

Establishment of a multidisciplinary team, including hematology-oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, and neonatology, is critical in the management of PAL. For staging, ultrasound and MRI are preferred modalities with use of computerized tomography in select situations. Data for the safety and effectiveness of therapy for PAL is largely based on retrospective studies. The timing of lymphoma-directed antenatal systemic therapy depends on the trimester, gestational age, lymphoma subtype and aggressiveness, and patient wishes. Therapy in the first trimester is usually not advocated, while treatment in the second and third trimesters appears to result in similar outcomes for PAL compared with non-pregnant patients with lymphoma. An overarching goal in most PAL cases should be to plan for delivery at term (i.e., gestational age > 37 weeks). For supportive care, most antiemetics, including agents such as neurokinin-1 receptor antagonists, have been used safely during pregnancy. For prevention or treatment of infections, particular antibiotics (i.e., macrolides, cephalosporins, penicillins, metronidazole), antivirals (i.e., acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir), and antifungals (amphotericin B) have demonstrated safety and with use of growth factors reserved for treatment of neutropenia (vs. primary prophylaxis). Therapy for PAL should be individualized with goals of care that balance maternal and fetal well-being, which should include a multidisciplinary care team and overall intent for term delivery in most cases.

Impact of ABVD chemotherapy on ovarian reserve after fertility preservation in reproductive-aged women with Hodgkin lymphoma

RESEARCH QUESTION

How is ovarian reserve affected by chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who undergo fertility preservation (FP)?

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing medical records of 105 HL patients referred to the FP unit before starting adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy. Ovarian reserve was evaluated before chemotherapy and at the last follow-up using anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC) measurements. The decrease in AMH was compared with that expected from normograms. AMH was compared between patients who underwent cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and those who underwent cryopreservation of mature oocytes.

RESULTS

After ABVD, 15% of patients required hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. At a median follow-up of 33 months, the median decrease in AMH was 0.88 ng/mL, which was significantly greater than that of the general population of this age group (p < 0.001). Of the 82 women who only had ABVD, 38 underwent FP by cryopreservation of mature oocytes and 44 underwent cryopreservation of the ovarian cortex. There was no significant difference in AMH or AFC at the last follow-up between FP techniques.

CONCLUSION

Although ABVD is considered to be of low gonadotoxic risk, the decrease in AMH was greater than expected for patients' age, and 15% of patients needed more aggressive therapy during follow-up. Type of FP was not associated with decline in ovarian reserve. Reproductive-aged women with HL should have the opportunity for FP counseling before starting treatment.

Fertility in female cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Data on the effects of cancer treatments on fertility are conflicting. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the chances of childbirth in women survivors of different types of cancer. PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus were searched from database inception to 17 July 2019 for published cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies that investigated the reproductive chances in women survivors of different cancer types. Random-effects models were used to pool childbirth hazard ratios, relative risks, rate ratios and odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were estimated; 18 eligible studies were identified. Childbirth chances were significantly reduced in women with a history of bone cancer (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.97; I² = 0%; P = 0.02 (two studies); RaR 0.76, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.95; I² = 69%; P = 0.01 (two studies); breast cancer (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.90 (one study); RaR 0.51, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.57; I² = 0%; P < 0.00001 (two studies); brain cancer (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.72; I² = 14%; P < 0.00001 (three studies); RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.91 (one study); RaR 0.44, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.60; I² = 95%; P < 0.00001 (four studies); OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.60 (one study); and kidney cancer (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.98 (one study); RaR 0.69, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.78 (one study). Reproductive chances in women survivors of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, melanoma and thyroid cancer were unaffected. Women with a history of bone, breast, brain or kidney cancer have reduced chances of childbirth. Thyroid cancer, melanoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors can be reassured.

Contemporary treatment options for a classical disease: Advanced Hodgkin lymphoma

Advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is a rare lymphoid disease characterized by the presence of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells. Each year, cHL accounts for 0.5% of all new cancer diagnoses and about 80% are diagnosed with advanced stage disease. Given the significant improvement in cure rates, the focus of treatment has shifted towards minimization of acute and long-term toxicities. PET-adapted strategies have largely been adopted as standard of care in the United States in an attempt to balance toxicities with adequate lymphoma control. However, the appropriate upfront chemotherapy regimen (ABVD versus eBEACOPP) remains controversial.

Socioeconomic impact of Hodgkin lymphoma in adult patients: a systematic literature review

Hodgkin lymphoma is a highly curable disease with a peak incidence in young adulthood at times where education, family, and social relations are established. We performed a systematic literature review to assess the impact of Hodgkin lymphoma on the socioeconomic status of adolescent and adult survivors (including educational achievements, occupational aspects, marriage, and parenthood). In total, 39 articles were included. Overall, 26-36% of survivors perceived Hodgkin lymphoma as negatively affecting their socioeconomic status. Studies consistently found educational achievements in line with general population. Employment rates for survivors were comparable to the general population, but lower than before Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis, with a post-diagnosis increase in disability pension and early retirement. Employed survivors encountered problems related to physical restrictions and recruitment. Marriage and parenthood were not substantially affected. In conclusion, current studies suggest acceptable socioeconomic outcomes following a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis but the use of standardized reporting methods hampers comparability across studies.

Gonadal Function Recovery and Fertility in Women Treated with Chemo- and/or Radiotherapy for Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Fertility and gonadal function represent one of the most important aspects for long-term lymphoma survivors.

AIMS

The aim of our study was to determine possible risk factors, such as age at treatment, chemotherapeutic regimen, protection with oral contraceptives (OCs), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues in female patients treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) at a reproductive age.

METHODS

Patients between the age of 16 and 50 years at the time of HL or NHL diagnosis were selected. Eligible patients were requested to respond to a questionnaire by phone interview about fertility, menstrual status, sexual aspects, and treatment with OCs or GnRH analogues during chemotherapy.

RESULTS

The resumption of menstrual activity was associated with the use of the OCs and GnRH analogues during chemotherapy (p = 0.008 and 0.034, respectively). At univariate analysis, the use of OCs during chemotherapy was associated with a lower risk of amenorrhea (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.37; 95% CI 0.17-0.82). A higher age at the time of treatment correlated positively with therapy-induced amenorrhea, with a difference of 12.8 years between the mean age at diagnosis of the women with therapy-induced amenorrhea and those who resumed their menses. Amenorrhea was significantly higher in women receiving R-CHOP than in women treated with ABVD (PR = 6.00; 95% CI 2.32-15.54). Moreover, NHL had an infertility PR of 1.51 (95% CI 0.86-2.45) at multivariate analysis compared to HL.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a possible role of pharmacological prophylaxis with OCs and GnRH analogues.

Response-Adapted Treatment Strategies in Hodgkin Lymphoma Using PET Imaging

Hodgkin lymphoma, a B-cell malignancy, is most common in patients younger than 55 years. Between 70% and 90% are cured with standard approaches. The high cure rate and long-term survival resulted in a need to minimize therapy toxicity. Response-adapted approaches have been developed to de-escalate therapy in those likely to be cured and intensifying therapy in those not responding to initial treatment. FDG-PET after chemotherapy is highly predictive of outcome. Thus, FDG-PET has been incorporated into response-adapted treatments. Use of FDG-PET to guide treatment in Hodgkin lymphoma has been recommended. We summarize literature and discuss challenges and future directions.

Pregnancy rate and outcome of pregnancies in long-term survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma

Thanks to the increased number of young survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), management of the pregnancies of women who have a history of exposure to chemotherapies and radiation therapy is becoming increasingly common. Many patients and clinicians are worried that pregnancy after the diagnosis of HL may increase the risk of relapse, despite a lack of empirical evidence to support such concerns. In the present study, we included 89 women diagnosed with HL between 2006 and 2015 under the age of 50 years, who were in complete remission and alive without relapse > 1 year after treatment. We determined the pregnancy rate, time to pregnancy, and the disease-free survival. We found no evidence of significant impairment of the fertility of female HL long-term survivors and no evidence that a pregnancy increases the relapse rate among women in remission from HL. Survivors of HL need to consider a range of factors when deciding on future reproduction.

Cancer Treatment-Related Infertility: A Critical Review of the Evidence

Cancer treatments may compromise the fertility of children, adolescents, and young adults, and treatment-related infertility represents an important survivorship issue that should be addressed at diagnosis and in follow-up to ensure optimal decision-making, including consideration of pursuing fertility preservation. Risk of infertility varies substantially with patient and treatment factors. The ability to accurately assess fertility risk for many patients is hampered by limitations of the current literature, including heterogeneity in patient populations, treatments, and outcome measures. In this article, we review and synthesize the available data to estimate fertility risks from modern cancer treatments for both children and adult cancer survivors to enable clinicians to counsel patients about future fertility.

Recovery of Spermatogenesis Following Cancer Treatment with Cytotoxic Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy

The survival rates of boys and men with cancer have increased due to advances in cancer treatments; however, maintenance of quality of life, including fertility preservation, remains a major issue. Fertile male patients who receive radiation and/or chemotherapy face temporary, long-term, or permanent gonadal damage, particularly with exposure to alkylating agents and whole-body irradiation, which sometimes induce critical germ cell damage. These cytotoxic treatments have a significant impact on a patient's ability to have their own biological offspring, which is of particular concern to cancer patients of reproductive age. Therefore, various strategies are needed in order to preserve male fertility. Sperm cryopreservation is an effective method for preserving spermatozoa. Advances have also been achieved in pre-pubertal germ cell storage and research to generate differentiated male germ cells from various types of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and spermatogonial stem cells. These approaches offer hope to many patients in whom germ cell loss is associated with sterility, but are still experimental and preliminary. This review examines the current understanding of the effects of chemotherapy and radiation on male fertility.

Contemporarily Treated Patients With Hodgkin Lymphoma Have Childbearing Potential in Line With Matched Comparators

Purpose With excellent cure rates for young patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), there is an increasing number of female survivors of HL interested in becoming pregnant. Here, we report childbearing among contemporarily treated HL survivors in comparison with the general population. Material and Methods Using Swedish registers, 449 women (ages 18 to 40 years) diagnosed with HL between 1992 and 2009 and in remission 9 months after diagnosis were identified. Patients were age- and calendar-year-matched to 2,210 population comparators. Rates of first postdiagnosis childbirth were calculated. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated for different follow-up periods using Cox regression. Cumulative probabilities of first childbirth were calculated in the presence of the competing risk of death or relapse. Results Twenty-two percent of relapse-free patients with HL had a child during follow-up, and first childbirth rates increased over time, from 40.2 per 1,000 person-years (1992 to 1997) to 69.7 per 1,000 person-years (2004 to 2009). For comparators, childbirth rates remained stable (70.1 per 1,000 person-years). Patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 had a cumulative probability of childbirth similar to comparators. Three years or more after diagnosis, no differences in childbirth rates were observed between patients and comparators, regardless of stage or treatment. Patients who received six to eight courses of bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone had a lower childbirth rate than comparators during the first 3 years (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.94), as did patients who received six to eight courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy (HR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.65). Conclusion Childbearing potential among female survivors of HL has improved over time, and childbirth rates 3 years after diagnosis in contemporarily treated patients are, in the absence of relapse, similar to those in the general population, regardless of stage and treatment.

Fertility preservation in Hodgkin's lymphoma patients that undergo targeted molecular therapies: an important step forward from the chemotherapy era

In total, 80%-90% of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) patients are curable with combination chemoradiotherapy. Due to improvements in therapeutic strategies, 50% of all relapsed/refractory patients may undergo complete clinical responses and have long-term survival. Treatment options for HL are effective, but may have a negative impact on post-chemotherapy fertility. Thus, cryopreservation of semen prior to treatment is recommended for male patients. For female patients, assisted reproductive techniques (ART) consult and fertility preservation should be offered as a therapeutical option. In the last years, new targeted molecules have been available for HL treatment. These new drugs showed a high rate of overall responses in the setting of heavily pretreated patients, most of them in relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation, a group previously considered very poor risk. Up to 50% of patients have a complete response and an improved overall survival. Future studies will address the usefulness of novel molecules as a frontline therapy. Considering the high response and survival rates with monoclonal antibody-based therapeutics, fertility has become a concerning issue for long-term HL survivors. As progress has been made regarding ART, with the rigorous steps planned for HL patients, more survivors will become parents.

Dacarbazine depletes the ovarian reserve in mice and depletion is enhanced with age

Dacarbazine is commonly administered for the treatment of cancers prevalent in reproductive age females. However, investigations of off-target effects of dacarbazine on the ovary are limited. We assessed the impact of dacarbazine on the ovarian reserve of primordial follicles, essential for fertility. Eight week and 6 month old C57BL/6 J mice were administered with dacarbazine or saline on day (d)0 and d7, then sacrificed after 12 hours (h), or 14d (n = 4-5/group). Follicle numbers, follicle density, serum AMH and corpora lutea were quantified and estrous cyclicity monitored. In reproductively young mice, dacarbazine did not affect primordial follicle numbers at 12 h, but resulted in a 36% reduction at 14d (p < 0.05). Dacarbazine-mediated primordial follicle depletion was accelerated with age, with a 24% (p < 0.05) and 36% (p < 0.01) reduction at 12 h and 14d. Follicle density remained unchanged between treatment groups at either age. Dacarbazine depleted antral follicles at 14d (p < 0.05), at both ages. Despite partial reduction of antral follicles, serum AMH, estrous cyclicity and corpora lutea (indicative of ovulation) remained unchanged between treatment groups, at both ages. Importantly, diminished ovarian reserve can result in premature ovarian insufficiency and infertility, thus, fertility preservation options should be considered for young female patients prior to dacarbazine treatment.

Vinorelbine Potently Induces Placental Cell Death, Does Not Harm Fertility and is a Potential Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies complicate 1–2 pregnancies and are a leading cause of maternal death. An effective oral drug therapy that replaces surgery might make its treatment safer, cheaper, simpler and therefore more widely accessible. The only current medical treatment offered to women is intramuscular methotrexate, but this only reliably resolves smaller ectopic pregnancies. As such, many ectopic pregnancies require surgical excision. We show that vinorelbine, an orally available chemotherapeutic agent, potently induced placental cell death but did not harm fertility in mice. Vinorelbine was 100–1000 times more potent than methotrexate in inducing placental cell death in vitro, and more potent than combination methotrexate and gefitinib (another proposed treatment for ectopic pregnancy being evaluated in phase III trials). Mechanistically, it caused microtubule condensation, blocked mitosis and activated the apoptosis cascade in placental cells. Vinorelbine was more efficacious than methotrexate ± gefitinib in reducing the volume of placental cell tumors xenografted subcutaneously in SCID mice. Mice exposed to vinorelbine and allowed to breed, following a four week washout period, displayed normal fertility, however long-term fertility was not assessed. Human Fallopian tubes treated with vinorelbine did not exhibit up-regulation of apoptosis molecules. Our findings show that placental cells appear sensitive to vinorelbine and it has potential as a tablet-only approach to treat ectopic pregnancy.

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We have identified vinorelbine, a well tolerated chemotherapeutic, as a potential therapeutic for ectopic pregnancy.

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Vinorelbine potently reduced placental cell viability in-vitro and in-vivo and proved more efficacious than the current medical therapeutic.

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Vinorelbine did not impact upon subsequent fertility in a mouse breeding model.

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when a conceptus implants outside of the womb. They are life threating and are a leading cause of maternal death in early pregnancy. Currently, the large majority of ectopic pregnancies are removed surgical, partly owing to the limited efficacy of the only available medical therapeutic, methotrexate. Here, we have identified a potential new medical therapeutic for ectopic pregnancy, vinorelbine. Vinorelbine, which is orally available chemotherapeutic, reduced placental cell viability both in-vitro and in-vivo and did not impact upon mice fertility in a breeding model. As such, vinorelbine may be an efficacious treatment for ectopic pregnancy and further human studies into its application are warranted.

Should Response-Adapted Therapy Now Be the Standard of Care for Advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma?

The choice of treatment for advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma has traditionally been made using an assessment of the baseline risk factors and a judgement of the balance between efficacy and toxicity for the group in question. The use of functional imaging with 2-(18F)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) early in the course of therapy offers a way to make treatment better adjusted to the most important feature of Hodgkin’s lymphoma: the response to therapy. Recent studies have shown that excellent results can be achieved by using early FDG-PET to modulate therapy, with escalation for those with an unsatisfactory response and treatment reduction for those with the most chemosensitive disease. The results of these trials indicate that response-adapted therapy should now become part of the standard approach to care, offering opportunities to improve the results further by indicating those subgroups in need of new approaches such as the emerging antibody-based treatments.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Hodgkin Lymphoma-Favorable Prognosis Stage I and II

This topic addresses the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with favorable prognosis stage I and II Hodgkin lymphoma. In most cases, combined modality therapy (chemotherapy followed by involved site radiation therapy) constitutes the current standard of care. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment. By combining the most recent medical literature and expert opinion, this revised guideline can aid clinicians in the appropriate use of combined modality therapy for favorable prognosis stage I and II Hodgkin lymphoma. Increasing information about the late effects of treatment has led to attempts to decrease toxicity by using less chemotherapy (decreased duration and/or intensity or different agents) and less radiation therapy (reduced volume and/or dose) while maintaining excellent efficacy.

Evaluating the use of friend or family controls in epidemiologic case-control studies

BACKGROUND

Traditional methodologies for identifying and recruiting controls in epidemiologic case-control studies, such as random digit dialing or neighborhood walk, suffer from declining response rates. Here, we revisit the feasibility and comparability of using alternative sources of controls, specifically friend and family controls.

METHODS

We recruited from a recently completed case-control study of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) among women in Los Angeles County where controls from the parent study were ascertained by neighborhood walk. We calculated participation rates and compared questionnaire responses between the friend/family controls and the original matched controls from the parent study.

RESULTS

Of the 182 NHL case patients contacted, 111 (61%) agreed to participate in our feasibility study. 70 (63%) provided contact information for potential friend and/or family member controls. We were able to successfully contact and recruit a friend/family member for 92% of the case patients. This represented 46 friend controls and 54 family controls. Family controls significantly differed from original matched controls by sex and household income. Other characteristics were similar between friend controls and the original study's neighborhood controls.

CONCLUSION

The apparent comparability of neighborhood controls to friend and family controls among respondents in this study suggests that these alternative methods of control identification can serve as a complementary source of eligible controls in epidemiologic case-control studies.

Non-growing follicle density is increased following adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy in the adult human ovary

STUDY QUESTION

Do the chemotherapeutic regimens of ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine) or OEPA-COPDAC (combined vincristine, etoposide, prednisone, doxorubicin (OEPA) and cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, dacarbazine (COPDAC)) used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), affect the density, morphology and in vitro developmental potential of human ovarian follicles?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Ovarian tissue from women treated with ABVD contained a higher density of non-growing follicles (NGFs) per cubic millimetre and increased numbers of multiovular follicles but showed reduced in vitro growth compared with patients with lymphoma who had not received chemotherapy, patients treated with OEPA-COPDAC, age-matched healthy women and age-related model-predicted values.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Chemotherapy regimens can cause a loss of follicles within the ovary, which depends on the drugs given. Early stage HL is commonly treated by ABVD, a non-alkylating regimen that apparently has ovarian sparing qualities; thus it is important to investigate the histological appearance and distribution of follicles within ABVD-treated ovarian tissue.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

Thirteen ovarian biopsies were obtained from HL patients (six adolescents and seven adults) and one biopsy from a non-HL patient. Two HL patients and the non-HL patient had received no treatment prior to biopsy collection. The remaining 11 HL patients received one of two regimens: ABVD or OEPA-COPDAC. Tissue was analysed histologically and compared to biopsies from healthy women, and in a subgroup of patients, tissue was cultured for 6 days in vitro.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

Ovarian biopsies were obtained from patients undergoing ovarian cryopreservation for fertility preservation and from healthy women at the time of Caesarian section ('obstetric tissue'). Follicle number and maturity were evaluated in sections of ovarian cortical tissue, and compared to an age-related model of mean follicle density and to age-matched contemporaneous biopsies. The developmental potential of follicles was investigated after 6 days of tissue culture.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A total of 6877 follicles were analysed. ABVD-treated tissue contained a higher density of NGFs per cubic millimetre (230 ± 17) (mean ± SEM) than untreated (110 ± 54), OEPA-COPDAC-treated (50 ± 27) and obstetric (20 ± 4) tissue (P < 0.01), with follicle density 9-21 SD higher than predicted by an age-related model. Biovular and binucleated NGFs occurred frequently in ABVD-treated and in adolescent-untreated tissue but were not observed in OEPA-COPDAC-treated or obstetric tissue, although OEPA-COPDAC-treated tissue contained a high proportion of morphologically abnormal oocytes (52% versus 23% in untreated, 22% in ABVD-treated and 25% in obstetric tissue; P < 0.001). Activation of follicle growth in vitro occurred in all groups, but in ABVD-treated samples there was very limited development to the secondary stage, whereas in untreated samples from lymphoma patients growth was similar to that observed in obstetric tissue (untreated; P < 0.01 versus ABVD-treated, NS versus obstetric).

LARGE SCALE DATA

N/A LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Although a large number of follicles were analysed, these data were derived from a small number of biopsies. The mechanisms underpinning these observations have yet to be determined and it is unclear how they relate to future fertility.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

This study confirms that the number of NGFs is not depleted following ABVD treatment, consistent with clinical data that female fertility is preserved. Our findings demonstrate that immature follicle density can increase as well as decrease following at least one chemotherapy treatment. This is the first report of morphological and follicle developmental similarities between ABVD-treated tissue and the immature human ovary. Further experiments will investigate the basis for the marked increase in follicle density in ABVD-treated tissue.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

Funded by UK Medical Research Council Grants G0901839 and MR/L00299X/1. The authors have no competing interests.

Fertility Risk Assessment and Preservation in Male and Female Prepubertal and Adolescent Cancer Patients

Cancer represents the second cause of death in prepubertal children and adolescents, although it is currently associated with an overall survival rate of 80%–85%. The annual incidence rate is 186.6 per 1 million children and adolescents aged up to 19 years. Both disease and treatment options are associated with life-altering, long-term effects that require monitoring. Infertility is a common issue, and as such, fertility preservation represents an essential part in the management of young patients with cancer who are at risk of premature gonadal failure. This review deals with the up-to-date available data on fertility risk assessment and preservation strategies that should be addressed prior to antineoplastic therapy in this vulnerable subgroup of cancer patients.

Hodgkin lymphoma: Late effects of treatment and guidelines for surveillance

Long-term survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are at risk for a range of late effects, with second malignant neoplasm and cardiovascular diseases being the leading causes of death in these patients. The excess risks remain significantly elevated decades after treatment, and are clearly associated with extent of treatment exposures. Other late effects have also been identified, such as pulmonary dysfunction, endocrinopathies, muscle atrophy, and persistent fatigue. Systemic documentation of late effects and recognition of treatment- and patient-related risk factors are important, as they inform optimal surveillance and risk-reduction strategies, as well as guide therapeutic modifications in newly diagnosed patients to minimize treatment-related complications. As HL therapy evolves over time, with adoption of novel agents and contemporary treatment techniques, late effect risks and follow-up recommendations need to be continuously updated.

Pregnancy Incidence in Female Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Survivors of Reproductive Age: A Population-Based Study

This study evaluated the pregnancy incidence in female nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) survivors of reproductive age.In a nationwide cohort, 2816 female patients 15 to 50 years of age from 1998 to 2010 were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research database. Comorbidities, complications during pregnancy, and delivery status were recorded. All patients were followed up until a diagnosis of pregnancy, withdrawal from the National Health Insurance system, or December 31, 2011.Overall, 155 patients (incidence rate [IR] = 9.50) were pregnant in the NPC group, whereas 251 patients (IR = 12.80) were pregnant in the non-NPC group. The cumulative incidence of pregnancy in the NPC group was lower than that in the non-NPC group (incidence rate ratio = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.61-0.91). The adjusted hazard ratio of pregnancy in the NPC group was 0.79 with 95% CI = 0.61-0.96, compared with the non-NPC group.The incidence of pregnancy is significantly lower among female NPC survivors of reproductive age than among those without NPC.

Fertility in young patients following treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma: a single center survey

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the fertility rates following treatment by means of the BEACOPP regimen (regular and escalated) (bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone) as compared to the ABVD regimen (doxorubicin, vinblastine, dacarbazine, bleomycin) in Hodgkin lymphoma patients under the age of 40 at the time of treatment.

Methods

A questionnaire was sent to 180 Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients. The questionnaire was composed of questions concerning reproduction and also menopausal and aging symptoms in females and males. The analyses were made using data collected from 123 patients (76 females and 47 males) who returned the questionnaire. All of the patients were treated between 1999 and 2012.

Results

In comparing the ABVD and BEACOPP groups of female patients, the frequency of the therapy-induced amenorrhea and the restored menses following treatment were found to be significantly different statistically (p = 0.002 and p = 0.012, respectively). The secondary amenorrhea statistically appeared more often in the BEACOPP group (p = 0.003) while the cases of achieving pregnancy and having children after chemotherapy were not significantly different (p = 0.630, p = 0.070, respectively). In comparing the ABVD and BEACOPP treatments in male patients, the only significant difference was in the number of artificially inseminated or in vitro pregnancies achieved in the BEACOPP and escalated BEACOPP group, p = 0.008 and p = 0.002, respectively. In total, 45.2 % of patients in the ABVD female group, 34.6 % in the BEACOPP female group, 52.6 % in the ABVD male group, and 33.3 % in the male BEACOPP group, respectively, of patients attempting conception post-therapy, had children after chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Based on these high rates of childbirth following BEACOPP chemotherapy, we have concluded that intensified chemotherapy is not a definite predictor of reduced fertility in young HL patients.

Pregnancy and the Risk of Relapse in Patients Diagnosed With Hodgkin Lymphoma

PURPOSE

Many patients and clinicians are worried that pregnancy after the diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) may increase the risk of relapse despite a lack of empirical evidence to support such concerns. We investigated if an association exists between pregnancy and relapse in women with a diagnosis of HL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Swedish healthcare registers combined with medical records, we included 449 women who received a diagnosis of HL between 1992 and 2009 and who were age 18 to 40 years at diagnosis. Follow-up started 6 months after diagnosis, when the patients' condition was assumed to be in remission. Pregnancy-associated relapse was defined as a relapse during pregnancy or within 5 years after delivery. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were estimated by using the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

Among the 449 women, 144 (32%) became pregnant during follow-up. Overall, 47 relapses were recorded, of which one was a pregnancy-associated relapse. The adjusted HR for the comparison of the pregnancy-associated relapse rate to the non-pregnancy-associated relapse rate was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.04 to 2.18). The expected number of relapses in women with a recent pregnancy, given that they would experience the same relapse rate as that of women without a recent pregnancy, was 3.76; the observed-to-expected ratio was 0.27 (95% exact CI, 0.01 to 1.51).

CONCLUSION

We found no evidence that a pregnancy after diagnosis increases the relapse rate among women whose HL is in remission. Survivors of HL need to consider a range of factors when deciding about future reproduction. However, given the results of this study, the risk of pregnancy-associated relapse does not need to be considered.

Outcomes of ovarian stimulation after treatment with chemotherapy

PURPOSE

Chemotherapeutic agents have a known gonadotoxic effect; however, it is difficult to predict the impact they may have on ovarian stimulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate response to ovarian stimulation in patients exposed to chemotherapy compared with patients who were chemotherapy-naïve.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of 130 patients with cancer or autoimmune disease was performed. Demographics, ovarian reserve, ovarian response and stimulation parameters, and oocyte data were compared between patients who were pre- and post-chemotherapy. Logistic regression modeling was performed to identify risk factors for cancellation and low oocyte yield, adjusting for confounders as appropriate.

RESULTS

Antral follicle count (AFC) was significantly lower in post-chemo patients (9 vs. 17, p < 0.001). Post-chemotherapy patients were more likely to be cancelled during stimulation (23 vs. 4 %, p = 0.003). Among those that went to retrieval, there was no difference in total number of oocytes (10 vs. 10, p = 0.31) or mature oocytes retrieved (8 vs. 8, p = 0.38), despite higher starting (300 vs. 450 IU, p < 0.001) and total gonadotropin (3075 vs. 4612.5 IU, p = 0.008) doses in post-chemotherapy patients. Low AFC (≤6) was associated with cycle cancellation (OR 7.7, 95 % CI 1.8-33.2) and low oocyte yield (<6) (OR 5.4, 95 % CI 1.6-17.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients post-chemotherapy have lower AFC compared with the chemotherapy-naïve and have higher cancellation rates. Among those who underwent oocyte retrieval, oocyte yield was similar in both groups. Low AFC was most strongly associated with cycle cancellation and oocyte yield. Post-chemotherapy patients had higher rates of cycle cancellation but did equally well as pre-chemotherapy patients if they reached retrieval.

Understanding Fertility in Young Female Cancer Patients

Young women diagnosed with cancer today have a greater chance of long-term survival than ever before. Successful survivorship for this group of patients includes maintaining a high quality of life after a cancer diagnosis and treatment; however, lifesaving treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can impact survivors by impairing reproductive and endocrine health. Studies demonstrate that future fertility is a concern for many women diagnosed with cancer, but physician knowledge and attitudinal barriers can still prevent females from receiving care. Today, fertility preservation is an option for girls and women facing a cancer diagnosis, and emerging research is providing clinicians with an increasing number of reproductive and hormonal management tools. Physicians can play an important role in fertility by working closely with oncologists, providing patients with information about fertility preservation options prior to the start of cancer treatment, monitoring reproductive capacity after treatment, and working with cancer survivors to explore potential avenues to parenthood.

Parenthood in adult female survivors treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma during childhood and adolescence: a prospective, longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Little is known about parenthood in women who were treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma during childhood and adolescence. We aimed to assess the frequency of parenthood in female survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma younger than 18 years at diagnosis, and to compare it with that in a female population control group.

METHODS

In this prospective, longitudinal study, our cohort consisted of 590 female patients younger than 18 years at diagnosis who participated in one of five Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment studies between June 19, 1978, and July 12, 1995. Women who had been followed up for 5 years or longer, were in continuous complete remission, and had no second malignancy or Hodgkin's lymphoma relapse before parenthood were included in our parenthood analysis. Parenthood was defined as the delivery of a liveborn child. Frequency of parenthood was compared with that in the German female population aged 16-49 years, using data from the 2012 Mikrozensus population survey. We assessed parenthood by estimating cumulative incidences and hazard ratios (HRs) with associated variables.

FINDINGS

467 of 590 patients in our cohort had long-term follow-up (median 20·4 years [IQR 16·3-24·8]) and were in continuous complete remission. 228 (49%) of 467 patients had 406 children (median of 1·78 children per mother, range 1-7). Cumulative incidences of parenthood were 67% (95% CI 64-75) at 27·7 years of follow-up (the longest number of years that a patient was followed up before she had her first child) and 69% (61-74) at 39·8 years of age (the oldest age of a patient before she had her first child). The incidence of parenthood did not differ between our cohort and the female German population for any age group up to 49 years, except for the 66 women aged 40-44 years at the time of last information, who had a significantly lower frequency of parenthood compared with the general population (40 [61%] of 66 vs 2,208,000 [78%] of 2,847,000; p=0·001). Procarbazine in cumulative doses up to 11,400 mg/m(2), cyclophosphamide in cumulative doses up to 6000 mg/m(2), alkylating agent dose scores of 1-5, therapy group based on disease stage at diagnosis, abdominal and supradiaphragmatic radiation, and age at treatment had no significant or only minor effects on parenthood. Parenthood was significantly reduced in survivors receiving pelvic radiation compared with those who received abdominal and supradiaphragmatic radiation (HR 0·76, 95% CI 0·61-0·95; p=0·01).

INTERPRETATION

The results of this study document an overall favourable prognosis for parenthood in female survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma. They will assist counselling of female survivors about their positive potential for future parenthood.

FUNDING

Deutsche Kinderkrebsstiftung, Jens-Brunken-Stiftung für Leukämie und Lymphomforschung, and Kinderkrebshilfe Münster.

How I treat advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma

The development of curative systemic treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma was recently voted one of the top 5 achievements of oncology in the last 50 years (http://cancerprogress.net/top-5-advances-modern-oncology). The high expectation of cure (above 80%) with initial therapy, even for advanced disease, is tempered by the recognition of some important limitations: not all patients are cured, especially those in older age groups, and patients have suffered debilitating or, in some cases, fatal long-term side effects. The challenge for modern treatment approaches is to improve the cure rate and, at the same time, minimize the long-term damage resulting from treatment. After several decades during which we have tested a variety of different ways to combine conventional cytotoxic treatments with or without radiotherapy but have identified no effective new approaches, the field is once again moving forward. The developments that hold the greatest promise in this respect are the application of functional imaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) to make an early judgment of the success of treatment and the introduction of some highly active new agents such as antibody-drug conjugates.

Late morbidity and mortality in patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma treated during adulthood

BACKGROUND

Survivors of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) treated as adults are at risk for late effects of therapy. However, the burden of late morbidity and mortality among adults treated for HL remains incompletely characterized.

METHODS

Vital status and, for deceased, cause of death were determined for 746 adults treated on a first-line trial at a single center from 1975 to 2000. Survivors completed a detailed survey describing their physical and mental health. A severity score (grades 1-4, ranging from mild to life-threatening or disabling) was assigned to self-reported conditions.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 22 years, 227 of patients (30.4%) had died, 107 (47.1%) from HL, 120 (52.9%) from other causes, including second primary malignancies (SPMs) (n = 52) and cardiovascular disease (n = 27). Across the duration of follow-up, all-cause and SPM-specific risk of death remained higher than predicted by normative data. Among survivors, late morbidity survey data are available for 238 patients (45.9%). Ninety-four-point-one percent of respondents reported at least one morbidity, and 47.5% reported at least one grade 3 or 4 morbidity; 20.2% reported two or more grade 3 morbidities. Commonly reported morbidities included cardiovascular (54.6%), endocrine (68.5%), pulmonary disease (21.4%), and nonfatal second malignancy (23.1%). Anxiety, depression, and fear of recurrence were frequently reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Among a large cohort of patients treated for HL with extensive follow-up, risk of late mortality from causes other than HL and prevalence of late medical morbidity are high. Guidelines for prevention, screening, and management of late effects in adult survivors of HL are needed.

Current survivorship recommendations for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma: focus on late effects

Long-term survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are at an increased risk for a range of late complications, with subsequent malignant neoplasm and cardiovascular disease representing the 2 leading causes of death in these patients. Raising awareness, close follow-up, and adoption of selected early-detection and risk-reduction strategies may help to reduce the adverse impact of these late effects on patients. This chapter reviews known long-term complications of HL therapy, risk factors, and the timing of their occurrence. Where available, data on the efficacy of screening for selected late effects of HL are presented. Current evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations on follow-up of long-term HL survivors are also reviewed. As HL therapy evolves over time, late effects and implications on follow-up of patients treated in the contemporary era should be considered and opportunities for future research should be explored.

Current survivorship recommendations for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma: focus on late effects

Long-term survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are at an increased risk for a range of late complications, with subsequent malignant neoplasm and cardiovascular disease representing the 2 leading causes of death in these patients. Raising awareness, close follow-up, and adoption of selected early-detection and risk-reduction strategies may help to reduce the adverse impact of these late effects on patients. This chapter reviews known long-term complications of HL therapy, risk factors, and the timing of their occurrence. Where available, data on the efficacy of screening for selected late effects of HL are presented. Current evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations on follow-up of long-term HL survivors are also reviewed. As HL therapy evolves over time, late effects and implications on follow-up of patients treated in the contemporary era should be considered and opportunities for future research should be explored.

ACR appropriateness criteria follow-up of Hodgkin lymphoma

The main objectives of follow-up studies after completion of treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma are detection of recurrence for salvage therapy and monitoring for sequelae of treatment. The focus of the follow-up shifts, with time after treatment, from detection of recurrence to long-term sequelae. A majority of recurrence is detected by history and physical examination. The yield for routine imaging studies and blood tests is low. Although routine surveillance CT scan can detect recurrence not detected by history and physical examination, its benefit in ultimate survival and cost-effectiveness is not well defined. Although PET scan is a useful tool in assessing response to treatment, its routine use for follow-up is not recommended. Long-term sequelae of treatment include secondary malignancy, cardiovascular disease, pneumonitis, reproductive dysfunction, and hypothyroidism. Follow-up strategies for these sequelae need to be individualized, as their risks in general depend on the dose and volume of radiation to these organs, chemotherapy, age at treatment, and predisposing factors for each sequela. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed every 3 years by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and review include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer-reviewed journals and the application of a well-established consensus methodology (modified Delphi) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures by the panel. In those instances in which evidence is either lacking or not definitive, expert opinion may be used to recommend imaging or treatment.

Challenges for cancer care delivery to adolescents and young adults: present and future

Adolescents and young adults occupy a unique place within the cancer community due to the challenges they face related to disease biology, access to care, and psychosocial and socioeconomic circumstances. Efforts to define specific needs and targets for intervention in these areas are under way and evolving. This review will discuss the current and future challenges in delivering quality care to this population.