Ovarian function following the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Fertility preservation for pediatric patients with hemoglobinopathies: Multidisciplinary counseling needed to optimize outcomes

Hemoglobinopathies are autosomal recessive disorders that occur when genetic mutations negatively impact the function of hemoglobin. Common hemoglobinopathies that are clinically significant include sickle cell disease, alpha thalassemia, and beta thalassemia. Advancements in disease-modifying and curative treatments for the common hemoglobinopathies over the past thirty years have led to improvements in patient quality of life and longevity for those who are affected. However, the diseases, their treatments and cures pose infertility risks, making fertility preservation counseling and treatment an important part of the contemporary comprehensive patient care. Sickle cell disease negatively impacts both male and female infertility, primarily by testicular failure and decreased ovarian reserve, respectively. Fertility in both males and females with beta thalassemia major are negatively impacted by iron deposition due to chronic blood transfusions. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is currently the only curative treatment for SCD and transfusion dependent beta thalassemia. Many of the conditioning regimens for HSCT contain chemotherapeutic agents with known gonadotoxicity and whole-body radiation. Although most clinical studies on toxicity and impact of HSCT on long-term health do not evaluate fertility, gonadal failure is common. Male fertility preservation modalities that exist prior to gonadotoxic treatment include sperm banking for pubertal males and testicular cryopreservation for pre-pubertal boys. For female patients, fertility preservation options include oocyte cryopreservation and ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Oocyte cryopreservation requires controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) with ten to fourteen days of intensive monitoring and medication administration. This is feasible once the patient has undergone menarche. Follicular growth is monitored via transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound, and hormone levels are monitored through frequent blood work. Oocytes are then harvested via a minimally invasive approach under anesthesia. Complications of COH are more common in patients with hemoglobinopathies. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome creates a greater risk to patients with underlying vascular, pulmonary, and renal injury, as they may be less able to tolerate fluids shifts. Thus, it is critical to monitor patients undergoing COH closely with close collaboration between the hematology team and the reproductive endocrinology team. Counseling patients and families about future fertility must take into consideration the patient's disease, treatment history, and planned treatment, acknowledging current knowledge gaps.

Long-term ovarian reserve and fertility outcomes in female survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy, yet data regarding long-term ovarian reserve of female survivors are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a differential pattern of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels in female childhood ALL survivors compared with the normal age-matched population. In a cohort of 56 female childhood ALL survivors (median age 29 years; median follow-up 20.6 years), a negative correlation was found between age at leukemia diagnosis and age-adjusted anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels (r = -0.334, p = .031). Despite alkylating agent therapy, AMH levels did not differ significantly from age-related nomograms (age < 30, p = .17; age ≥ 30, p = .94). The mean number of children per fertile woman adjusted for maternal age was similar to the national average (2.76 versus 3.11, p = .19). Our results imply that reproductive outcomes are not significantly hampered in female pediatric ALL survivors. Long-term surveillance of ovarian reserve may enable personalized survivorship counseling.

Primary gonadal failure

The term primary gonadal failure encompasses not only testicular insufficiency in 46,XY males and ovarian insufficiency in 46,XX females, but also those disorders of sex development (DSD) which result in gender assignment that is at variance with the genotype and gonadal type. In boys, causes of gonadal failure include Klinefelter and other aneuploidy syndromes, bilateral cryptorchidism, testicular torsion, and forms of 46,XY DSD such as partial androgen insensitivity. Causes in girls include Turner syndrome and other aneuploidies, galactosemia, and autoimmune ovarian failure. Iatrogenic causes in both boys and girls include the late effects of childhood cancer treatment, total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation, and iron overload in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia. In this paper, a brief description of the physiology of testicular and ovarian development is followed by a section on the causes and practical management of gonadal impairment in boys and girls. Protocols for pubertal induction and post-pubertal hormone replacement - intramuscular, oral and transdermal testosterone in boys; oral and transdermal oestrogen in girls - are then given. Finally, current and future strategies for assisted conception and fertility preservation are discussed.

DIAGNOSIS OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Endocrine late-effects of childhood cancer and its treatments

Endocrine complications are frequently observed in childhood cancer survivors (CCS). One of two CCS will experience at least one endocrine complication during the course of his/her lifespan, most commonly as a late-effect of cancer treatments, especially radiotherapy and alkylating agent chemotherapy. Endocrine late-effects include impairments of the hypothalamus/pituitary, thyroid and gonads, as well as decreased bone mineral density and metabolic derangements leading to obesity and/or diabetes mellitus. A systematic approach where CCS are screened for endocrine late-effects based on their cancer history and treatment exposures may improve health outcomes by allowing the early diagnosis and treatment of these complications.

Fertility considerations and the pediatric oncology patient

Recent years have witnessed marked improvement in cytotoxic treatments with a parallel increase in patient survival. Despite efforts done to minimize long-term side effects of these treatment regimens, it is estimated that 40% of survivors of pediatric cancer will suffer from those. Some will be mild whereas others such as impaired fertility will be a heavy load on parents׳ expectations and patient׳s quality of life. Gonadal damage and severe loss of function is not a rare condition among children cured for cancer. Despite the young age of those patients, methods exist to try to reduce gonadal insult or to preserve gonadal function. Some of them are well studied and controlled; others are more experimental with encouraging results so far. This article aims to summarize all the procedures that can be offered to young patients treated for cancer in order to protect, as possible, their fertility potential.

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.

Laparoscopic ovarian transposition prior to pelvic irradiation in a young female patient with advanced rectal cancer

In the report, we describe the first case of laparoscopic ovarian transposition prior to pelvic radio-chemo therapy in a young female patient with advanced rectal cancer in Japan. A 14-year-old female visited a hospital because of consistent diarrhea and melena. Colonoscopy examination showed a bulky tumor of the rectum, which was diagnosed as moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis was cT3N2aM1a (due to lymph node in pelvic side wall), cStage IVA. In an attempt to improve local control and sphincter preservation, neoadjuvant concurrent radio-chemo therapy was planned. Considering that pelvic irradiation particularly in young female might cause ovarian failure, laparoscopic ovarian transposition was carried out prior to pelvic irradiation. Sequentially the patient underwent low anterior resection of the rectum and lymphadenectomy including pelvic side wall. The menstruation was maintained with delay for 6 months after adjuvant chemotherapy. There is no evidence of cancer recurrence at 3 years after the surgery.In premenopausal patients with rectal cancer undergoing pelvic irradiation, laparoscopic ovarian transposition is one of the choices to prevent ovarian failure.

Protecting Ovaries During Chemotherapy Through Gonad Suppression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To estimate whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog administration during chemotherapy can protect against development of ovarian toxicity.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE (1966 to present), EMBASE (1980 to present), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched through March 2015 using the phrases: "gonadotropin-releasing hormone," "chemotherapy," and "premature ovarian failure." Hand-search on conference abstracts, SCOPUS, and ISI Web of Science were also searched.

METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION

Published English-language randomized controlled trials comparing resumption of ovarian function between GnRH analogs plus chemotherapy with chemotherapy without GnRH analogs were included. Studies including women with pelvic metastases or recent history of receiving chemotherapy were excluded. Accordingly, 10 eligible trials (907 women) were analyzed.

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

Our primary outcome was the proportion of women with resumed ovarian function (defined as resumption of menstruation, prevention of chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure, or both) at the longest follow-up after the end of chemotherapy. Secondary outcomes were evaluating ovarian reserve parameters and pregnancy. Risk ratio was used to integrate qualitative results and mean difference was used for quantitative data. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog cotreatment did not significantly increase ovarian function resumption (320/468 [68.4%] in GnRH analog arm and 263/439 [59.9%] in the chemotherapy alone arm; risk ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.27). No protective effect existed after subgroup analyses (type of malignancy [P=.31], age [P=.14], and GnRH analog type [P=.44]). Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs did not protect any of ovarian reserve parameters, whether follicle-stimulating hormone (mean difference -2.63, 95% CI -7.33 to 2.07), antral follicle count (mean difference 1.66, 95% CI -0.69 to 4.01), or anti-Müllerian hormone (mean difference 0.31, 95% CI -0.41 to 1.03). Spontaneous pregnancy was also comparable (risk ratio 1.63, 95% CI 0.94-2.82).

CONCLUSION

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog administration during chemotherapy does not appear to protect the ovaries from gonadal toxicity. It is not a reliable method for fertility preservation.

Age at Birth of First Child and Fecundity of Women Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (1987-2007): A Study of the Childhood Cancer Registry of the Rhône-Alpes Region in France (ARCERRA)

We studied the fecundity of 174 successive ALL (1987-2007) in females of the Childhood Cancer Registry of the Rhône-Alpes Region (ARCERRA) with a median age at follow-up of 25.6 years (18.0-37.4). We distinguished five treatment groups: Group Ia, chemotherapy only (n = 130); Ib, chemotherapy with cranial radiotherapy (n = 10); II, TBI conditioning allograft (n = 27); III, chemotherapy conditioning allograft (n = 4); IV, TBI conditioning autograft (n = 3). Twenty-three women had their first child at the mean age of 25.8 ±3.0 years, i.e., 2.0 ±2.9 years earlier than the general population of the Rhône-Alpes region (P = 0.003). The standardized fertility ratio (SFR), expressed as the number of actual births observed (O) to the number that would be expected in women of the same age in the general population (E) (SFR = O/E) was decreased for Group Ia (0.62; 95%CI, 0.52-0.74) and collapsed in Group II (0.17; 0.11-0.25). In univariate analysis, TBI (P = 0.013) and alkylating agents (P = 0.01) were negatively correlated with fecundity, but not with the age at diagnosis or the anthracyclines doses. In multivariate analysis including TBI and alkylating agents, we still found a negative correlation between TBI (P = 0.035), as well as alkylating agents (P = 0.028), and fecundity. More precisely, fecundity was negatively correlated with cumulative cyclophosphamide equivalent dose (P = 0.001), with a fecundity decreased for ≥1g/m(2), but without any dose effect; results not found in the Group Ia. Age at first child seems younger but the young median age of the cohort not allows concluding; fecundity is collapsed after fractionated total body irradiation and decreased after chemotherapy without any demonstrable cause. A delay of fertility is not excluded.

The feasibility and efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists for prevention of chemotherapy induced ovarian failure in patient with gynecological malignancies

Objective

To assess the effects of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) depot (Leuprolide acetate) in women with gynecologic cancer receiving chemotherapy while taking a continuous add-back on the prevention of premature ovarian failure.

Methods

Fourteen premenopausal patients with gynecological malignancies who had undergone conservation of ovaries surgery received a GnRH-a depot plus add-back until chemotherapy was completed. Four weeks thereafter, a hormonal profile (follicle stimulating hormone) was measured.

Results

The mean follicle stimulating hormone level was 15.8 IU/L. All patients exhibited a restoration of ovarian failure during follow-up. One patient became pregnant during the follow-up period.

Conclusion

In the short term, GnRH-a appears to protect ovarian function and ability to achieve pregnancy following chemotherapy. The result of our study needs further elucidation in a large randomized controlled trial.

Preserving Fertility in Adolescent Girls and Young Women Requiring Craniospinal Irradiation: A Case Report and Discussion of Options to Be Considered Prior to Treatment

Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is associated with infertility risk for adolescent/young adult women. We explore two methods of reducing ovarian exposure: oophoropexy (surgical removal of the ovaries from the path of the X-ray beam) and proton therapy (to allow the beam to stop without exposing the ovaries/uterus). In the case discussed, oophoropexy followed by X-ray CSI reduced ovarian dose to that at which 50% of oocytes are expected to survive, and the patient appears to have viable oocytes; this technique did not reduce uterine dose. Proton therapy would have eliminated the ovarian and uterine dose and the need for oophoropexy.

Gonadal and uterine function in female survivors treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or bone marrow transplantation for childhood malignant and non-malignant diseases

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate gonadal function and uterine volume in a cohort of female survivors treated by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or stem cell transplantation (SCT) for childhood malignant and non-malignant diseases.

DESIGN

An observational study.

SETTING

S. Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy.

POPULATION

A cohort of 135 female survivors.

METHODS

A clinical, hormonal, and ultrasonographic evaluation. Thirty-three patients (24%) had non-malignant haematologic diseases (thalassaemia or sickle cell anaemia), 68 (50%) had leukaemia, 23 (17%) had lymphomas, and 11 (8%) had solid tumours. In total, 106 patients had received SCT, preceded by a conditioning regimen.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and Inhibin-B, and uterine volume.

RESULTS

The median concentrations of AMH and Inhibin-B in the entire cohort were 0.12 ng/ml (interquartile range, IQR, 0.1-0.5 ng/ml) and 3.5 pg/ml (IQR 0.1-13.2 pg/ml), respectively. In a stepwise ordered logistic regression analysis, conventional chemotherapy for the treatment of malignancies, as opposed to total body irradiation (TBI), was the only oncologically significant predictor of increased AMH levels (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-12, P < 0.001). Conditioning treatment before or after menarche did not influence AMH concentrations (P = 0.24). The best predictor of reduced uterine volume was TBI during the preparation for the allograft (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.4-8.4, P = 0.006). Increasing age at treatment (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.95, P = 0.04), chemotherapy, as opposed to other treatments (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.03-0.28, P < 0.001), and solid tumours as opposed to either leukaemia/lymphomas or non-malignant diseases (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.07-0.56, P = 0.002) were associated with larger uterine volumes.

CONCLUSIONS

Conditioning therapies for SCT, including TBI, had the worst effects on uterine volume and gonadal reserve. Increasing age at treatment and conventional chemotherapy were associated with less detrimental effects on uterine volume.

Bone health in adult cancer survivorship

Optimizing health outcomes, including prevention of osteoporotic fractures, is essential for promoting the well-being of the growing number of cancer survivors. Medical providers who participate in the care of cancer survivors should be aware that various cancer treatments may cause bone loss, which can increase the risk of subsequent of osteoporosis. Healthy bone remodeling is a balanced and dynamic equation between new bone formation and bone resorption. Aging, natural menopause, and cancer treatments such as surgical oophorectomy, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure, androgen deprivation therapy, and aromatase inhibitors can all promote bone loss. The WHO Fracture Assessment Tool can be used as a clinical aid to assess an individual's osteoporotic fracture risk, with or without bone mineral density measurements obtained from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Preventative strategies include adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation and modifying risk factors such as alcohol intake, tobacco use, and lack of exercise. Bisphosphonate therapy and rank-ligand monoclonal antibody therapy are the most commonly used agents for management of bone loss resulting from cancer treatment. This review will summarize the mechanisms by which cancer treatments cause bone loss as well provide screening and treatment recommendations for the management of bone loss.

Chemotherapy and fertility

The overall increase in cancer prevalence and the significant increase in long-term survival have generated worldwide interest in preserving fertility in young women exposed to gonadotoxic chemo- and radiotherapy. Infertility represents one of the main long-term consequences of combination chemotherapy given for lymphoma, leukaemia and other malignancies in young women. The gonadotoxic effect of various chemotherapeutic agents is diverse, may involve a variety of pathophysiologic mechanisms, and is not unequivocally understood. Proliferating cells, such as in tissues with high turnover (i.e. bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and growing ovarian follicles) are more vulnerable to the toxic effect of alkylating agents. These agents may also be cytotoxic to cells at rest, as they are not cell-cycle specific. Alkylating agents, the most gonadotoxic chemotherapeutic medications, cause dose-dependent, direct destruction of oocytes and follicular depletion, and may bring about cortical fibrosis and ovarian blood-vessel damage. The reported rate of premature ovarian failure after various diseases and chemotherapeutic protocols differ enormously, and depend mainly on the chemotherapeutic protocol used and age range of the woman. Several options have been proposed for preserving female fertility, despite gonadotoxic chemotherapy: ovarian transposition, cryopreservation of embryos, unfertilised metaphase-II oocytes and ovarian tissue, and administration of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonistic analogs in an attempt to decrease the gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapy by simulating a prepubertal hormonal milieu. None of these methods is ideal and none guarantees future fertility in all survivors; therefore, a combination of methods is recommended for maximising women's chances of future fertility.

The effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy on fertility in premenopausal women

With the improved survival rate of childhood and young adult cancer patients, the long-term sequelae of the treatments used are increasingly important. In this review, current knowledge of the gonadotoxicity of commonly employed chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy regimens is examined. Differences between the effect of "high-risk" and "low-risk" agents are discussed. Tailoring treatment to suit the individual and counseling patients regarding reduced fertility have resulted in the best practice.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this CME activity, physicians should be better able to evaluate and use appropriate methods to estimate ovarian reserve, assess the risk of infertility caused by commonly used cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens and radiation, and counsel patients regarding the gonadotoxic effects of cancer treatment.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog cotreatment for preservation of ovarian function during gonadotoxic chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog cotreatment with chemotherapy provides better reproductive outcomes for women at risk of premature ovarian failure (POF) as a side-effect of gonadotoxic chemotherapy.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING

University-affiliated research centers.

PATIENT(S)

None.

INTERVENTION(S)

Electronic and manual searches (e.g., MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) up to January 2010 were performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GnRH cotreatment with chemotherapy alone in premenopausal women.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Incidence of POF after treatment, incidence of women with resumption of ovulation, POF after an initial normal cycle, normal cycles but abnormal markers of ovarian reserve, spontaneous occurrence of pregnancy after treatment, and time to reestablishment of menstruation; data also extracted to allow for an intention-to-treat analysis.

RESULT(S)

Twenty-eight RCTs were identified, but only six met the inclusion criteria. Data were only available for the incidence of women with new onset of POF, resumption of ovulation, and occurrence of pregnancy. The incidence of POF or resumption of ovulation both demonstrated a statistically significant difference in favor of the GnRH cotreatment. The occurrence of spontaneous pregnancy showed no statistically significant difference between GnRH cotreatment and the control groups.

CONCLUSION(S)

Evidence from RCTs suggests a potential benefit of GnRH cotreatment with chemotherapy in premenopausal women, with higher rates of spontaneous resumption of menses and ovulation but not improvement in pregnancy rates. Data relating to study quality and possible bias for the majority of the outcomes in this review were not available, denoting possible selective reporting of trial data.

Acute leukemia in women

The treatment and survival outcome of acute leukemia in women is generally similar to that of men. However, acute leukemia in women poses additional challenges in clinical practice. In addition to important precautions during therapy, such as prevention of abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal women and therapy during pregnancy, women who are survivors of acute leukemia face unique and potentially long-term health-related problems. In this review, we address the aforementioned issues, as well as the various health and psychosocial challenges faced by women who survive childhood leukemia during their path to adulthood. Finally, we address the issue of therapy-related acute leukemia in the category of women who are survivors of breast and ovarian cancer.

[Special issues related to the treatment of acute leukemias in women]

The treatment of acute leukemia is usually similar in women and men. The outcome is also generally the same. However, diagnosis in women poses additional challenges in clinical practice such as leukemia following breast or ovarian cancers, prevention of abnormal uterine bleeding in premenopausal females, treatment during pregnancy related-problems in long-term survivors. All these special issues are addressed in this review of the literature.

Doxorubicin-induced ovarian toxicity

BACKGROUND

Young cancer patients may occasionally face infertility and premature gonadal failure. Apart from its direct effect on follicles and oocytes, chemotherapy may induce ovarian toxicity via an impact on the entire ovary. The role of doxorubicin in potential ovarian failure remains obscure. Our intention was to elucidate doxorubicin-related toxicity within ovaries.

METHODS

Female mice were injected intraperitoneally with 7.5 or 10 mg/kg doxorubicin and their ovaries were visualized in vivo by high resolution MRI, one day and one month following treatment. Ovaries of other treated mice were excised and weighed at the same post-treatment intervals. Ovarian histological sections were stained for TUNEL or active caspase-3 and follicles were counted and categorized. Ovulation rates were evaluated in superovulated female mice treated with doxorubicin.

RESULTS

A single injection of doxorubicin resulted in a major reduction in both ovarian size and weight that lasted even one month post treatment. A dramatic reduction in ovulation rate was observed one week after treatment, followed by a partial recovery at one month. Histological examination revealed positive staining of TUNEL and active caspase-3. We observed a significant reduction in the population of secondary and primordial follicles one month following treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results may imply a mechanism of chemotherapy-induced ovarian toxicity, manifested by reduced ovulation and accompanied by a reduction in ovarian size, caused probably by an acute insult to the ovary.

Cyclophosphamide therapy in pediatric multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

To review our multicenter experience with cyclophosphamide in the treatment of children with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of children with MS treated with cyclophosphamide. Demographic, clinical, treatment, and MRI parameters were collected.

RESULTS

We identified 17 children with MS treated with cyclophosphamide. All but one had worsening of Expanded Disability Status Scale scores or multiple relapses prior to treatment initiation. Children were treated with one of three regimens: 1) induction therapy alone; 2) induction therapy with pulse maintenance therapy; or 3) pulse maintenance therapy alone. Treatment resulted in a reduction in relapse rate and stabilization of disability scores assessed 1 year after treatment initiation in the majority of patients. Longer follow-up was available for most cases. Cyclophosphamide was well tolerated in most patients. However, side effects included vomiting, transient alopecia, osteoporosis, and amenorrhea. One patient developed bladder carcinoma that was successfully treated.

CONCLUSIONS

Cyclophosphamide is an option for the treatment of children with aggressive multiple sclerosis refractory to first-line therapies. Recommendations regarding patient selection, treatment administration, and monitoring are discussed.

Fertility of female survivors of childhood cancer: a report from the childhood cancer survivor study

PURPOSE

This study was undertaken to determine the effect, if any, of treatment for cancer diagnosed during childhood or adolescence on fertility.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed the fertility of female participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), which consisted of 5-year survivors, and a cohort of randomly selected siblings who responded to a questionnaire. Medical records of all members of the cohort were abstracted to obtain chemotherapeutic agents administered; the cumulative dose of drug administered for several drugs of interest; and the doses, volumes, and dates of administration of all radiation therapy.

RESULTS

There were 5,149 female CCSS participants, and there were 1,441 female siblings of CCSS participants who were age 15 to 44 years. The relative risk (RR) for survivors of ever being pregnant was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.73 to 0.90; P < .001) compared with female siblings. In multivariate models among survivors only, those who received a hypothalamic/pituitary radiation dose > or = 30 Gy (RR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.83) or an ovarian/uterine radiation dose greater than 5 Gy were less likely to have ever been pregnant (RR, 0.56 for 5 to 10 Gy; 95% CI, 0.37 to 0.85; RR, 0.18 for > 10 Gy; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.26). Those with a summed alkylating agent dose (AAD) score of three or four or who were treated with lomustine or cyclophosphamide were less likely to have ever been pregnant.

CONCLUSION

This large study demonstrated that fertility is decreased among female CCSS participants. The risk factors identified may be utilized for pretreatment counseling of patients and their parents.

Endocrine and metabolic disorders in young adult survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)

BACKGROUND

Treatments of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), involving various combinations of chemotherapy (chemo), cranial irradiation (CI) and/or bone marrow transplantation after total body irradiation (BMT/TBI), are often successful but may have several long-term harmful effects.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate late endocrine and metabolic complications in adult survivors of childhood ALL and NHL, in relation with the different therapeutic schemes received.

DESIGN

Endocrine and metabolic parameters were determined in 94 patients (48 men, mean age: 24 +/- 5 years) with a former childhood ALL (n = 78) or NHL (n = 16) and subgrouped according to their previous treatment: chemo only (group I; n = 44), chemo + CI (group II; n = 32) and chemo + BMT/TBI (group III; n = 18).

RESULTS

Severe GH deficiency (peak < 3.0 ng/ml after glucagon) was observed in 22% and 50% of patients of groups II and III, respectively, while hypothyroidism was mainly observed in group III (56%). Moreover, 83% of men developed hypogonadism after BMT/TBI, compared to 17% and 8% in groups I and II, respectively (P < 0.05), and all grafted women had ovarian failure, in contrast with other female patients in whom menarche had occurred spontaneously. Patients with BMT/TBI had also an adverse metabolic profile, with insulin resistance in 83% and dyslipidaemia in 61%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals a high prevalence of endocrine and metabolic disorders in young adult survivors of childhood ALL or NHL, this frequency mainly depending on the treatment received. Treatment with BMT/TBI is the most detrimental and many of these patients will develop GHD, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, insulin resistance and dyslipidaemia.

Morbidity and GH deficiency: a nationwide study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate morbidity in Denmark in all patients with GH deficiency (GHD).

DESIGN

Morbidity was analyzed in 1794 GHD patients and 8014 controls matched on age and gender. All records in the GHD patients were studied and additional morbidity noted. Diagnoses and dates of admissions were identified in the National Patient Registry. Lag time until first admission was used as a measure of morbidity. Patients were divided into childhood onset (CO) and adult onset (AO), discriminated by an age cut-off of 18 years at onset of GHD.

METHOD

Sex- and cause-specific hazard ratios (HRs) in CO and AO GHD compared with controls.

RESULTS

Total morbidity was significantly increased in the GHD patients. HR for CO males: 3.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7-3.7), CO females: 3.2 (95% CI: 2.6-3.9), AO males: 2.9 (95% CI: 2.6-3.2), and AO females: 3.2 (95% CI: 2.8-3.6). In 18 out of 20 chapters from the International Classification of Diseases-10, a significantly increased morbidity was identified for at least one of the four subgroups of patients. Morbidity was significantly increased in all the four subgroups due to infectious, endocrine, pulmonary, urogenital, and neurological diseases; cancer; diseases of the eye, ear, and circulatory diseases; and traumas. Fractures were significantly increased in AO females, not in males.

CONCLUSIONS

Morbidity was significantly increased in the GHD patients. The increased morbidity was due to a variety of disorders, some of which can readily be explained by GHD and other pituitary deficiencies, while others cannot be easily explained.

Fertility issues in survivors from adolescent cancers

Infertility is a common and distressing late-effect of cancer treatment. Whist sperm banking for post-pubertal males and embryo freezing for women (who are in a stable relationship at the time of treatment) are highly successful fertility preservation strategies, for females without a partner (including young and pre-pubescent girls) and pre-pubescent boys (or azoospermic men), there remain no effective approaches. Whilst the biological effects of cancer treatments on the reproductive system are well described, there are few data on the relative incidence of infertility (failure to conceive after one year of trying) in cancer survivors. This makes it difficult to advise survivors about their future fertility prospects. Whilst some will undoubtedly conceive naturally with their partner, others will require assisted conception treatment of which in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are the most common. Pregnancy outcomes of cancer survivors are generally good, although there is increased risk of pre-term birth and low birth-weight in the offspring of women who have received pelvic irradiation. There is no increased incidence of genetic disease or cancer incidence in the offspring of cancer survivors. Current research directions are focussing on alternative fertility preservation strategies including in vitro maturation techniques, xenotransplantation and the development of technology to create artificial gametes in the laboratory. Finally, although the reproductive techniques discussed are highly effective, country specific differences in the legal framework means that cancer survivors may be denied access to certain treatments (e.g. embryo cryopreservation) because they are forbidden by specific national legislation.

Role of Ovarian Transposition Based on the Dosimetric Effects of Craniospinal Irradiation on the Ovaries: A Case Report

In this study, we present a case of laparoscopic ovarian transposition to preserve ovarian function in an adult female patient treated with craniospinal irradiation for standard risk medulloblastoma. The prescribed dose to the craniospinal axis was 2340 cGy at 180 cGy per fraction and was delivered with 6-MV photons. Before ovarian transposition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis was obtained for localization of the ovaries and was registered with the planning computed tomography (CT) scan. Surgical clips allowed for CT localization of the ovaries after transposition. As a result of ovarian transposition, mean and maximum radiation doses decreased from 983 to 68 cGy and 1624 to 84 cGy for the left ovary and from 166 to 87 cGy and 723 to 103 cGy for the right ovary, respectively. Review of the literature indicates that such radiation doses are below the threshold that causes ovarian dysfunction and infertility. We conclude that ovarian localization with an MRI of the pelvis can be offered to females undergoing craniospinal irradiation. Transposition of the ovaries provides an option to preserve ovarian function in cases where the ovaries would otherwise be included within the radiation field.

[What are at present the real hopes of pregnancy after ovarian cryopreservation?]

Survival rates for cancers that occur in childhood and adolescence have improved over the last decades, and preservation of future fertility in these patients has become a relevant issue. Premature ovarian failure is a consequence of exposing women to chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation. Ovarian cryopreservation is an alternative to cryopreservation of embryos or oocytes for theses patients. Ovarian cryopreservation aims to reimplant ovarian tissue after complete remission into the pelvic cavity (orthotopique site) or a heterotopic site like the abdominal wall or the forearm. In vitro folliculogenesis, that aims at the maturation of ovarian cortex primordial follicles cryopreserved for a FIV, is still in an experimental research stage. In this review, the objective was to evaluate the real hopes of pregnancy after ovarian cryopreservation. Indeed, many teams offer ovarian cryopreservation at present time, although only two pregnancies have been achieved to date. In both cases, it can be discussed whether the fertilized oocyte originated from the transplant or from the native ovary. Furthermore, the potential for reintroduction of cancerous cells may limit this technique in cancers that are known to have a risk of ovarian dissemination. The hopes engendered by ovarian cryopreservation, but also its limits, must be explained to the patients before an ovarian surgery for cryopreservation.

Cortical fibrosis and blood-vessels damage in human ovaries exposed to chemotherapy. Potential mechanisms of ovarian injury

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy destroys primordial follicles and can lead to ovarian atrophy. Although reports indicate that apoptosis is the mechanism responsible for follicle loss, additional pathways can be involved. This study investigates the damage in human ovaries after administration of non-sterilizing doses of chemotherapy.

METHODS

In a blind study, pathological changes in ovarian tissue harvested for cryopreservation were evaluated. The study group comprised young non-sterile cancer patients, previously exposed to chemotherapy who were (mean +/- SD), when compared with non-exposed patients.

RESULTS

Thirty-five cancer patients aged 28.7 +/- 6.74; 17 were previously exposed to non-sterilizing chemotherapy and 18 were not. In all samples, primordial follicles were present. In previously exposed patients, damage to cortical blood vessel and proliferation of small vessels was observed. The cortex showed focal areas of fibrosis with disappearance of follicles (sensitivity 76%, positive predictive value 75% for <37 years old patients). Older patients, not exposed to chemotherapy (5/7) showed similar pathological changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Injury to blood vessels and focal ovarian cortical fibrosis are aspects of ovarian damage caused by chemotherapy. These findings indicate a potential additional mechanism of damage to the direct apoptotic effect of chemotherapy on follicles. The possibility that these changes are involved in ageing ovaries should be further investigated.

Imminent ovarian failure in childhood cancer survivors

The aim of this study was to investigate reproductive history and the prevalence of imminent ovarian failure (IOF) in female childhood cancer survivors. Reproductive history and ovarian function were evaluated by questionnaires (n=124) and by measurement of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and oestradiol (E2) levels (n=93). IOF was defined as FSH>10 IU/l or E2>0.28 nmol/l on day 3 of the menstrual cycle, or FSH>12.4 IU/l on day 7 of the pill-free interval. IOF was demonstrated in 22.6% of the participants and correlated with age at diagnosis (P<0.005) and age at study (P=0.036). IOF correlated inversely with methotrexate (P=0.046). The incidence of miscarriages (22.7%) and recurrent miscarriages (7.3%) was increased. The male/female (M/F) ratio of the offspring was decreased. In conclusion, female childhood cancer survivors are at risk for IOF. If pregnant, the risk of (recurrent) miscarriages is increased. The M/F ratio in the offspring is decreased.

Utero-ovarian ultrasonographic and Doppler flow analyses in female childhood cancer survivors with regular menstruation and normal circulating follicle-stimulating hormone levels

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the hormonal, ultrasonographic, and color Doppler parameters in a population-based follow-up study of female childhood cancer survivors with regular menstrual cycle and normal early follicular FSH values.

DESIGN

Controlled, prospective clinical study.

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENT(S)

Twenty-eight female patients affected by a malignant tumor during childhood and 14 age-matched healthy controls.

INTERVENTION(S)

Hormonal, ultrasonographic, and color Doppler analyses.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

In the midluteal phase of the cycle, the patients underwent hormonal assay of gonadotropins, E2, and P; ultrasonographic evaluation of the uterine and ovarian volume, the endometrial thickness, and of the corpus luteum characteristics; color Doppler analysis of uterine, intraovarian, and periluteal arteries.

RESULT(S)

A greater uterine volume and a better utero-ovarian vascularization was observed in controls in comparison with cancer survivors. In patients who suffered from childhood malignancies the P values were lower than in controls. On the basis of circulating P (> or < 20 nmol/L) values, we divided the former group in ovulatory and nonovulatory patients. We observed that even if there were no differences between ovulatory cancer survivors and controls, the nonovulatory group showed a reduced uterine volume associated with elevated resistance at the level of uterine and intraovarian arteries. Among these two groups the time elapsed between the diagnosis of cancer and menarche was shorter in nonovulatory than in ovulatory women, and was directly correlated with both uterine volume (r = 0.660) and ovarian volume (r = 0.597).

CONCLUSION(S)

Ultrasonographic and Doppler analyses may noninvasively study the subtle utero-ovarian modification after anticancer therapies.

Acute ovarian failure in the childhood cancer survivor study

CONTEXT

Defined as the loss of ovarian function within 5 yr of diagnosis, acute ovarian failure (AOF) is known to develop in a subset of survivors of pediatric and adolescent cancers. Its precise incidence is unknown, and data concerning its risk factors are limited.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to determine the incidence of and patient/treatment factors associated with AOF in a large cohort of pediatric cancer survivors.

DESIGN AND SETTING

We conducted a retrospective cohort, multicenter study.

PATIENTS

Female participants from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study who were greater than 18 yr of age were considered for inclusion. We excluded survivors who received cranial irradiation at doses of more than 3000 cGy, those with hypothalamic/pituitary tumors, and survivors who underwent bilateral oophorectomy. Survivors who reported never menstruating or who had ceased having menses within 5 yr after their cancer diagnosis were considered to have AOF.

MAIN OUTCOME

We assessed incidence and risk factors for AOF.

RESULTS

Of a total of 3390 eligible survivors, 215 cases (6.3%) developed AOF. Survivors with AOF were older at diagnosis and more likely to have been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma or to have received abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy than survivors without AOF. Among survivors with AOF, 116 (54%) had received at least 1000-cGy ovarian irradiation. In a multivariable logistic regression model, increasing doses of ovarian irradiation, exposure to procarbazine, and exposure to cyclophosphamide at ages 13-20 yr were independent risk factors for AOF.

CONCLUSIONS

AOF develops in a small subset of survivors, especially those treated with at least 1000-cGy ovarian radiation. These results will facilitate patient counseling and selection of candidates for newer fertility preservation techniques.

Prevention of gonadal toxicity and preservation of gonadal function and fertility in young women with systemic lupus erythematosus treated by cyclophosphamide: the PREGO-Study

BACKGROUND

With dramatically improved survival rates of SLE patients, comorbidity and long-term damage such as premature ovarian failure (POF) gain increasing importance. In the Erlangen cohort, 14% of cyclophosphamide treated patients younger than 41 years have POF, which is a common consequence of cyclophosphamide treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We tested the concentrations of FSH and LH, before, during and after cyclophosphamide treatment in 63 premenopausal women with SLE without ovarian protection and initiated the PREGO-Study (Prospective randomized study on protection against gonadal toxicity) in patients with SLE.

RESULTS

In lupus patients treated with cyclophosphamide, 60% suffered from POF and hypergonadotropic amenorrhea. Whereas the POF rate was <50% in women below 30 years, it was 60% between 30 and 40 years. The cumulative dosage of cyclophosphamide also strongly influenced POF rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Our present results, with a high POF rate in Cyclophosphamide treated SLE patients demonstrate the urgent need for ovarian protection in this patient group. Besides POF these women are at high risk for premature atherosclerosis which is the major cause of death in lupus. Following preliminary encouraging experience in women with lymphoma, in whom the temporary induction of a prepubertal hormonal milieu during chemotherapy, has significantly decreased the risk of POF, we have initiated the PREGO-Study, comparing randomised monthly injection versus no injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) to young SLE patients during cyclophosphamide therapy.

Ovarian reserve and reproductive age may be determined from measurement of ovarian volume by transvaginal sonography

BACKGROUND

The human ovary contains a fixed number of primordial follicles that decreases bi-exponentially with age, culminating in the menopause at an average age of 50-51 years. There currently is no reliable test of ovarian reserve for individual women that will accurately predict their remaining reproductive lifespan.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We use the Faddy-Gosden model of human primordial follicle population decline to describe the natural decay of the ovarian follicle pool. Assuming that the wide distribution for age at menopause is due to the wide variation in number of primordial follicles at birth, we describe follicle population decline for early and late menopausal women. Using published data on age-related ovarian volume as measured by transvaginal sonography, we have obtained a highly significant correlation between primordial follicle population and ovarian volume. We show that ovarian volume in women aged 25-51 years accurately reflects the number of primordial follicles remaining, and describe how measurement of ovarian volume by transvaginal sonography may determine ovarian reserve and reproductive age.

CONCLUSIONS

The accurate assessment of ovarian reserve will revolutionize the management of women requesting assisted conception, those who have had treatment for childhood cancer and those who are considering delaying a family for personal or professional reasons.

Fertility in women treated with cranial radiotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BACKGROUND

Fertility impairments among women treated during childhood for cancer are known to occur after some, but not all, types of anticancer therapy. Although leukemia is the most common cancer of childhood, until now fertility in survivors has not been comprehensively assessed.

PROCEDURE

We investigated functional impairment of fertility in women who were long-term survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with a retrospective cohort study. Proven fertility (defined as ever pregnant) was evaluated by self-report among 182 females treated on protocols of the Children's Cancer Group (age at interview, 22.6 years on average) and 170 controls drawn from among the survivors' female siblings (23.4 years). The interview included psychosocial inventories designed to detect mood problems.

RESULTS

Significant fertility deficits were noted in female survivors treated with cranial radiotherapy (CRT) at any dose around the time of menarche (relative fertility (RF)) = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.09, 0.82, P = 0.03). Controlling for marital status, mood at interview, and many fertility-related situations did not change the association.

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence for fertility deficits after treatment for ALL with CRT, and, in addition, for the first time, suggests that girls treated around the time of menarche are especially at risk. Clinical confirmation of these results is needed. If gonadal damage occurs in women receiving these treatments, their risk for further sequelae, such as osteoporosis and heart disease, may be significantly raised, requiring active management and intervention.

Strategies for preservation of ovarian and testicular function after immunosuppression

Gonadal toxicity as a side effect of cyclophosphamide therapy is a common long-term problem in the treatment of a variety of glomerular diseases. In both men and women treated with cyclophosphamide, the consequences of infertility can have great physical and emotional consequences; thus, this issue often has a critical role in the decision to decline treatment with cyclophosphamide. There exists a critical need for strategies for preservation of fertility in both men and women who require treatment with cyclophosphamide. This review explores emerging therapeutic options in this arena, which include sperm and oocyte cryopreservation, medical treatments such as testosterone therapy for men and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy for both men and women, and, finally, the relatively new strategy of germ-cell transplantation for both ovarian and testicular tissue, which still remains in the experimental stages.

Ovarian function preservation in the cancer patient

OBJECTIVE

To review the clinical modalities that are available to women receiving potentially sterilizing cancer therapy.

DESIGN

The MEDLINE database was reviewed for all publications on medication, surgery, or assisted reproductive technology that could potentially preserve fertility in women who are receiving cancer therapy.

CONCLUSION(S)

There are many options available to a patient undergoing a treatment that will negatively impact her fertility. Many procedures and medical interventions have been proven successful both in terms of ovarian function and pregnancy rates. Other techniques have great potential but do not have long-term clinical data. It is important that the patient's primary care physician understand the methods available to preserve fertility in cancer patients and communicate this information to the patient.

Preservation of fertility in children treated for cancer

As treatment for childhood cancer has become increasingly successful, adverse effects on reproductive function are assuming greater importance. Preservation of fertility before treatment must be considered in all young patients at high risk of infertility, and provision of such services requires collaboration between oncology centres and assisted conception units. The UK Children's Cancer Study Group is planning to audit current management of preservation of reproductive function in young patients with cancer, and the British Fertility Society is preparing a voluntary code of best practice to guide and inform clinicians and scientists. Limitation of radiation exposure by shielding of the testes and ovaries should be practiced where possible and sperm banking should be offered to all sexually mature boys at risk of infertility. The rapidly advancing experimental techniques for harvesting of gonadal tissue must be considered and embarked on without unrealistic expectations, although future utilisation of the tissue is unlikely to be realised until the next decade.

Is inhibin B a potential marker of gonadotoxicity in prepubertal children treated for cancer?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Chemotherapy treatment of childhood cancer may impair gonadal function, which may be manifested only in adulthood as permanent sterility. Detection of gonadal dysfunction in prepubertal children has been hampered by the absence of a sensitive marker. Inhibin B is secreted by small antral follicles and Sertoli cells in females and males, respectively, and may be a marker of gonadal function in prepubertal children. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate inhibin B in relation to sensitive measurements of gonadotrophins as markers of the early gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapy in prepubertal children treated for cancer.

STUDY DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

Twenty-five prepubertal children (9 females), median age 4.5 years (range 1.2-12.8 years) with cancer (16 solid tumours, nine acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, ALL) were studied longitudinally. Blood samples were collected before and during chemotherapy (solid tumours) or immediately following induction and first intensification (ALL). Post-treatment (1-6 months) samples were collected in 12 of the patients (5 females).

MEASUREMENTS

Dimeric inhibin B was measured by double antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). FSH and LH were measured by sensitive time-resolved immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Girls: Pretreatment inhibin B was slightly high in one girl but normal for age and sex in all others: median 16.1 (range 9.4-186.2) ng/l, median SD score +0.2 (-1.3 to +2.6). Inhibin B decreased to undetectable levels (< 8 ng/l) in 8/9 girls during treatment (P = 0.03), with no accompanying rise in FSH or LH. Post-treatment recovery of inhibin B was variable: median 16.1 (range < 8.0-44.2) ng/l, median SD score +0.1 (range < -2.4 to +1.8). Sustained undetectable inhibin B levels were observed in 2/5 girls with correspondingly elevated FSH concentrations (11.8 and 10.9 U/l). Boys: Inhibin B was normal for age and sex in all boys before treatment with no significant change during or after treatment (medians 93 ng/l, 85 ng/l and 94 ng/l, SD scores -0.3, -0.6 and -0.2, respectively). Inhibin B decreased to undetectable levels in one boy post-treatment with no accompanying increase in FSH or LH.

CONCLUSIONS

In prepubertal girls with cancer, chemotherapy is associated with suppression of inhibin B, usually transient, which may indicate arrest of follicle development. Sustained suppression of inhibin B following treatment may be indicative of permanent ovarian damage. In prepubertal boys, chemotherapy had little immediate effect on Sertoli cell production of inhibin B, although one boy showed a delayed effect. Inhibin B, together with sensitive measurements of FSH, may be a potential marker of the gonadotoxic effects of chemotherapy in prepubertal children with cancer.

The radiosensitivity of the human oocyte

BACKGROUND

We determined the best model available for natural follicle decline in healthy women and used this to calculate the radiosensitivity of the human oocyte.

METHODS

Ovarian failure was diagnosed in six patients with a median age of 13.2 years (range 12.5-16.0) who were treated with total body irradiation (14.4 Gy) at 11.5 years of age (4.9-15.1). We previously estimated the dose of radiation required to destroy 50% of the oocytes (LD(50)) to be <4 Gy. This estimate is an oversimplification, because decay represents an instantaneous rate of temporal change based upon the remaining population pool, expressed as a differential equation: dy/dx = -y[0.0595 + 3716/(11780 + y)], with initial value y(0) = 701 200.

RESULTS

Solving the differential equation, we have estimated the number of follicles left after irradiation given as sol(51 - s + r), where r equals age at treatment, s equals age at diagnosis of ovarian failure, and 51 years is the average age of menopause. The surviving fraction of oocytes as a percentage is 100 times this value divided by sol(r). The mean surviving fraction for the six cases is 0.66%. We obtain a function, g(z), which decreases in value from 100% at zero dosage to mean value at dosage z = 14.4 Gy. We have g(z) = 10(mx+c), where c = log(10)100 = 2, and m = [log(10)(0.66) - c]/14.4. Solving g(z) = 50 gives an LD(50) of 1.99.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on new data and a revised mathematical model of natural oocyte decline, we have determined the surviving fraction of oocytes following irradiation and estimate the LD(50) of the human oocyte to be <2 Gy.

Fertility after treatment for Hodgkin's disease

BACKGROUND

The investigational endeavors of ovarian cryopreservation await the clinical experience of auto- or xenotransplantation, in vitro maturation of thawed primordial follicles, their in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Although promising, this experience is not yet available. Moreover, the risk of possible reimplantation of malignant stem cells with the thawed cryoperserved ovary has been raised following experimental animal observations. Therefore, until these innovative endeavors prove successful, we have attempted to minimize the gonadotoxic effect of chemotherapy by the co-treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonistic analog (GnRH-a) to induce a temporary prepubertal milieu. The immunoreactive inhibin-A and -B in these patients was measured before, during and following the gonadotoxic chemotherapy.

METHODS

A prospective clinical protocol was undertaken in 60 women aged 15-40 years with lymphoma, 10 with leukemia and 10 undergoing chemotherapeutic treatments for non-malignant diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus or other autoimmune diseases. A monthly injection of depot D-TRP(6)-GnRH-a was administered from before starting the chemotherapy until its conclusion, up to a maximum of 6 months. Hormonal profile [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), E2, T, P4, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-BP3 and prolactin) was taken before starting the GnRH-a/chemotherapy co-treatment, and monthly thereafter until resumtion of spontaneous ovulation. This group was compared with a control group of 60 women who have been treated with similar chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Whereas all but three (40, 36 and 34 year old) of the surviving patients within the GnRH-a/ chemotherapy co-treatment group resumed spontaneous ovulation and menses within 12 months, less than half of the patients in the 'control' group (chemotherapy without GnRH-a co-treatment) resumed ovarian function and regular cyclic activity (P <0.05). The remaining 55% experienced premature ovarian failure (POF). Temporarily increased FSH concentrations were experienced by about one-third of the patients resuming cyclic ovarian function, suggesting reversible ovarian damage in a larger proportion of women than those experiencing POF. Inhibin-A and -B decreased during the GnRH-a/ chemotherapy co-treatment but increased to normal levels in patients who resumed regular ovarian cyclicity, and/or spontaneously conceived, as compared with low levels in those who developed POF.

CONCLUSIONS

If these preliminary data are consisent in a larger group of patients, GnRH-a co-treatment should be considered in every woman of reproductive age receiving chemotherapy, in addition to assisted reproductive technologies and the investigation into ovarian cryopreservation for future in vitro maturation, autotransplantation or xenotransplantation.