A national study of the provision of oncology sperm banking services among Canadian fertility clinics

Understanding the Symptoms and Concerns of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer in Alberta: A Comparative Cohort Study Using Patient-Reported Outcomes

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are in a unique situation due to their age and developmental stage in life and may have different symptoms and concerns than older patients. Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) questionnaires, routinely used in Alberta, can help identify the distinct needs of AYAs. We aimed to compare PROs data for AYAs and older adults (OAs) to better understand how the concerns of AYAs differ, which is key to providing individualized care and creating targeted programming and system-level change. Methods: Retrospective data were collected for two patient cohorts who completed at least one PROs questionnaire between October 1, 2019 and April 1, 2020. The AYA cohort was aged 18-39, and the OA cohort was aged 40 and older. Symptoms were compared using mean scores and multiple linear regression, and concerns were compared using counts and multivariate negative binomial regression. Results: AYAs had significantly higher mean scores on depression and anxiety, compared to OAs, and lower mean scores for most physical symptoms. They indicated significantly more concerns in the Emotional and Social/Family/Spiritual domains, and were over three times more likely to indicate Work/School as a concern. Conclusion: AYAs with cancer have distinct concerns that should be addressed to ensure comprehensive, quality cancer care for this population. PROs data are useful in identifying needs and facilitating evidence-based, data-driven change at all levels of the health care system.

Factors Associated with Adolescent and Young Adult Males with Cancer Attending Fertility Consultation: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada

Purpose: Cancer and its treatment can impair fertility in men. It is recommended that they be referred for fertility consultation before the start of treatment. This study examined factors associated with men attending a fertility consultation within 30 days of diagnosis. Methods: Males 15 to 39 years of age, diagnosed with cancer in Ontario, Canada, between 2006 and 2019, were identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry. Linked administrative data were used to obtain other clinical and sociodemographic variables. The main outcome was a fertility consultation within 30 days of diagnosis, defined using Ontario Health Insurance Plan billing codes (606 or 628). A backward selection multivariate logistic regression was performed. Results: Of 13,720 cases identified, 8.5% attended a fertility consultation within 30 days of diagnosis. A more recent year of diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 5.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.6-6.6), living in an urban area (OR = 1.3; 95% CI 1.0-1.8), receiving radiation therapy (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.6), chemotherapy (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.6-2.2), and reproductive organ-related cancer surgery (OR = 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.7) were associated with a greater likelihood of attending a consultation. Older age (OR = 0.2; 95% CI 0.1-0.2), living in a northern region (OR = 0.3; 95% CI 0.2-0.5), having a cancer with low (OR = 0.3; 95% CI 0.2-0.4) or moderate risk to fertility (OR = 0.6; 95% CI 0.5-0.7), and residing in a neighborhood with lower income (OR = 0.4; 95% CI 0.3-0.5) or residential instability quintile (OR = 0.8; 95% CI 0.6-1.0) were associated with being less likely to attend a consultation. Conclusion: Although rates of fertility consultation have increased over time, these remain low in various clinical and demographic groups. Funding for fertility preservation appears to have had an important impact on fertility consultation in young men with cancer.

Use and Effectiveness of Sperm Cryopreservation for Adolescents and Young Adults: A 37-Year Bicentric Experience

Aim: Sperm cryopreservation (SCP) should be offered to every adolescent before gonadotoxic treatment, but experience in this age range is still relatively limited. The goal of this study is to assess how to optimize this procedure. Methods and Patients: One hundred thirty-three patients between 12 and 20 years old, who underwent SCP between 1980 and 2017, were included. Baseline data (age, indication for SCP, and semen parameters at freezing) and follow-up data (outcome of sperm straws and follow-up of sperm quality) were collected and analyzed. Results: SCP is feasible from the age of 12. Semen assessment parameters at this age were close to parameters of adults. However, we observed quantitative impairments in testicular tumors and qualitative impairments in leukemia and bone marrow failure. Four patients (3%) used their cryopreserved semen for medically assisted reproduction, 15 patients died (11.3%), 18 asked for destruction of their straws (13.5%), and nine samples were destroyed because of lack of news (6.8%). Very few patients underwent a sperm analysis after treatment. Conclusions: SCP is an efficient, still underused, procedure for adolescents and young adults. Cryopreserved sperm is rarely used and rarely destroyed, but studies with a longer follow-up are needed to better assess these observations. Follow-up with a specialist of reproductive medicine is valuable for better information of the patient.

Evolution of adolescent and young adult oncology in Canada

In the context of cancer, adolescents and young adults [...]

Patterns of Referral for Fertility Preservation Among Female Adolescents and Young Adults with Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Purpose: To assess the fertility preservation (FP) referral rates and patterns of newly diagnosed breast cancer in female adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients.

Methods: Women aged 15–39 years with newly diagnosed breast cancer in Ontario from 2000 to 2017 were identified using the Ontario Cancer Registry. Exclusion criteria included prior sterilizing procedure, health insurance ineligibility, and prior infertility or cancer diagnosis. Women with a gynecology consult between cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy commencement with the billed infertility diagnostic code (ICD-9 628) were used as a surrogate for FP referral. The effect of age, parity, year of cancer diagnosis, staging, income, region, neighborhood marginalization, and rurality on referral status was investigated.

Results: A total of 4452 patients aged 15–39 with newly diagnosed breast cancer met the inclusion criteria. Of these women, 178 (4.0%) were referred to a gynecologist with a billing code of infertility between cancer diagnosis and initiation of chemotherapy. Older patients, prior parity, and advanced disease were inversely correlated with referrals. Referral rates also varied regionally: patients treated in the south-east and south-west Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) had the highest probability of referral, and patients covered by north LHINs had the lowest (central LHIN as reference). General surgeons accounted for 36.5% of all referrals, the highest percentage of all specialists. Referral rates significantly increased over time from 0.4% in 2000 to 10.7% in 2016.

Conclusion: FP referral rates remain low and continue to be influenced by patient demographics and prognosis. These findings highlight the need for further interdisciplinary coordination in addressing the fertility concerns of AYA with newly diagnosed breast cancers.

Adolescent Males' Understanding of Infertility as a Long-Term Effect of Cancer Therapy

Cancer therapy can result in infertility in childhood cancer survivors; however, little is known about how young adolescent males make sense of infertility and potential future parenthood. What's more, research shows that many healthcare professionals in Canada do not discuss fertility preservation (FP) with this vulnerable population. This study examines how male adolescent childhood cancer survivors understand infertility as a long-term effect of cancer treatments. We used a narrative analysis to examine 16 interviews with 14-18-year-old males. The findings from this research illustrate that FP discussions may raise meaningful questions for young men about how they see themselves and construct their identities. The findings also demonstrate that young men's beliefs about FP may be informed by family narratives, and it shows that biological parenthood may be important to adolescent males.

A fertility needs assessment survey of male cancer patients

OBJECTIVE

To describe fertility-related informational needs and practices, and to examine if demographic characteristics are related to these needs and practices.

METHODS

A needs assessment survey was conducted at three Canadian cancer centres.

RESULTS

192 male cancer patients (Mage = 33.6) completed the survey. Most patients (70%) recalled having had a discussion with a health care provider regarding their fertility and 44% banked their sperm. Patients reported not getting all the information that they wanted, eg, the risk that a future child may have the same type of cancer (78%), and what was covered by insurance plans (71%). Barriers to sperm preservation were urgency to begin cancer treatment (49%), not planning to have a child in the future (47%) and worries that cancer could be passed on to future children (38%). Participants' age and being the parent of a child were significantly associated with having had a discussion about fertility. Participants' age, province, being the parent of a child and the desire for future children were significantly associated with fertility preservation.

CONCLUSIONS

Discussions with health care providers were more frequent, and fertility preservation rates were higher than in past studies, but still not all patients' questions were answered. Misconceptions about passing on cancer to one's child, and that sperm preservation will delay treatment, should be dispelled. Health care providers can ask patients if they have any desire to have children in the future as a way to initiate a discussion of fertility preservation. Key information gaps and psychosocial resource needs are suggested to fully meet male cancer patients' fertility-related concerns.

Process and Pitfalls of Sperm Cryopreservation

Sperm cryopreservation has been utilized routinely for over 40 years to preserve fertility in men undergoing cancer therapy and allow conception for infertile couples. This article provides a concise and up-to-date review of the literature and covers the latest advances in sperm cryopreservation and its array of clinical indications. Over recent years, the scope of clinical indications used for sperm cryopreservation has expanded widely. Consequently, more patient groups are eligible for sperm freezing, requiring specialist resources and higher running costs. Although sperm cryopreservation prior to cancer therapy is readily available in many countries, referral rates by oncology specialists and levels of patient engagement with cryopreservation services are both reported as low. Furthermore, sperm banking continues to raise ethical issues such whether sperm donation should be anonymous and whether sperm can be utilized posthumously by the surviving partner without consent from the patient. This review focuses on the technological advances and ethical controversies in sperm cryopreservation, and how better understanding of these issues could lead to improved access to fertility preserving treatment for patients.

International evolution in AYA oncology: Current status and future expectations

Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) contribute approximately 1 million incident cases globally, but the great majority are underserved. In high-income countries, overall survival exceeds 80%, but the needs of this population during and after their treatment experience are poorly met, though specialized clinical programs are evolving. Engagement of national governments is advantageous and deployment of multidisciplinary teams essential. Collaboration between pediatric and adult healthcare providers is mandatory and AYAs must be given a strong voice in program development. Building and sharing international experience will hasten advances in clinical care, education, and research, while a focus on developing countries is a worthy challenge.

Adolescent and young adult cancer: principles of care

Adolescents and young adults (ayas) with cancer in active treatment face a number of barriers to optimal care. In the present article, we focus on the 3 critical domains of care for ayas-medical, psychosocial, and research-and how changes to the system could overcome barriers. We summarize the current literature, outline recommended principles of care, raise awareness of barriers to optimal care, and suggest specific changes to the system to overcome those barriers in the Canadian context. Many of the recommendations can nevertheless be applied universally. These recommendations are endorsed by the Canadian Task Force on Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer and build on outcomes from two international workshops held by that group.

Quebec public funding facilitates fertility preservation for male cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Sperm cryopreservation remains the only clinically feasible option to preserve male fertility. The quality of counselling provided by the treating physicians and the cost of sperm cryopreservation can both influence a patient's decision about whether to preserve sperm. On 5 August 2010, the Quebec government introduced provincial coverage of assisted reproductive technologies, with sperm cryopreservation included as a covered service. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether and how such a program affects the behaviour of cancer patients with respect to sperm cryopreservation.

METHODS

We analyzed the database derived from male patients undergoing sperm cryopreservation from August 2008 to August 2012 at our centre. The retrieved data included patient age, male infertility or oncologic diagnosis, sperm quality parameters, and details about the number of visits for sperm cryopreservation.

RESULTS

The number of cancer patients who cryopreserved sperm before and after the policy change did not differ significantly, but a marked increase in the number of non-cancer patients was observed. Further analysis revealed that, after implementation of the public funding program, the total number of sperm cryopreservation sessions per patient increased significantly in cancer patients but not in non-cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that cancer patients who are willing to freeze sperm are keen to return for more sessions of sperm banking when no fees are associated with the service. Those findings suggest that cost reduction is an important factor for improving delivery of fertility preservation services to male cancer patients.

Contemporary and future insights into fertility preservation in male cancer patients

In recent years, survival rates of cancer patients have increased, resulting in a shift of focus from quantity to quality of life. A key aspect of quality of life is fertility potential; patients suffering from iatrogenic infertility often become depressed. Since many cancer therapies—chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or surgery—and even cancer itself have detrimental effects on the male reproductive system, it is important to preserve fertility before any treatment commences. Currently, the only reliable method of male fertility preservation is sperm banking. For patients who are unable to provide semen samples by the conventional method of masturbation, there are other techniques such as electroejaculation, microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration and testicular sperm extraction that can be employed. Unfortunately, it is presently impossible to preserve the fertility potential of pre-pubertal patients. Due to the increasing numbers of adolescent cancer patients surviving treatment, extensive research is being conducted into several possible methods such as testicular tissue cryopreservation, xenografting, in vitro gamete maturation and even the creation of artificial gametes. However, in spite of its ease, safety, convenience and many accompanying benefits, sperm banking remains underutilized in cancer patients. There are several barriers involved such as the lack of information and the urgency to begin treatment, but various measures can be put in place to overcome these barriers so that sperm banking can be more widely utilized.

Sexual dysfunction and infertility as late effects of cancer treatment

Sexual dysfunction is a common consequence of cancer treatment, affecting at least half of men and women treated for pelvic malignancies and over a quarter of people with other types of cancer. Problems are usually linked to damage to nerves, blood vessels, and hormones that underlie normal sexual function. Sexual dysfunction also may be associated with depression, anxiety, relationship conflict, and loss of self-esteem. Innovations in cancer treatment such as robotic surgery or more targeted radiation therapy have not had the anticipated result of reducing sexual dysfunction. Some new and effective cancer treatments, including aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer or chemoradiation for anal cancer also have very severe sexual morbidity. Cancer-related infertility is an issue for younger patients, who comprise a much smaller percentage of total cancer survivors. However, the long-term emotional impact of being unable to have a child after cancer can be extremely distressing. Advances in knowledge about how cancer treatments may damage fertility, as well as newer techniques to preserve fertility, offer hope to patients who have not completed their childbearing at cancer diagnosis. Unfortunately, surveys in industrialised nations confirm that many cancer patients are still not informed about potential changes to their sexual function or fertility, and all modalities of fertility preservation remain underutilised. After cancer treatment, many patients continue to have unmet needs for information about restoring sexual function or becoming a parent. Although more research is needed on optimal clinical practice, current studies suggest a multidisciplinary approach, including both medical and psychosocial treatment options.

Oncofertility in Canada: an overview of Canadian practice and suggested action plan

BACKGROUND

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis. In particular, malignancy and its indicated treatments have profoundly negative effects on the fertility of young cancer patients. Oncofertility has emerged as a new interdisciplinary field to address the issue of gonadotoxicity associated with cancer therapies and to facilitate fertility preservation. In Canada, these fertility issues are often inadequately addressed despite the availability of resources. The goal of this four-part series is to facilitate systemic improvements in fertility preservation for adolescent and young adult Canadians with a new diagnosis of cancer.

METHODS

Here, we describe the services currently available in Canada and the challenges associated with their utilization. Finally, we outline strategies to help maximize and facilitate fertility preservation in the young cancer patient.

RESULTS

Despite an existing infrastructure to the oncofertility system in Canada, the ability of that system's components to function together and to coordinate patient care is a challenge. Areas of weakness include poor access and referral to fertility services, a lack of readily available education for patients and health care providers, and inconsistent interdisciplinary coordination in patient care.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of a framework for multidisciplinary resource allocation, education, patient referral, and established lines of communication may facilitate a functional oncofertility system in Canada.

Oncofertility in Canada: the impact of cancer on fertility

BACKGROUND

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis. In particular, malignancy and its indicated treatments have profoundly negative effects on the fertility of young cancer patients. Oncofertility has emerged as a new interdisciplinary field to address the issue of gonadotoxicity associated with cancer therapies and to facilitate fertility preservation. In Canada, these fertility issues are often inadequately addressed despite the availability of resources. The goal of this four-part series is to facilitate systemic improvements in fertility preservation for adolescent and young adult Canadians with a new diagnosis of cancer.

METHODS

In this article, we review the gonadotoxic effects of cancer treatment on young men and women of reproductive age.

RESULTS

The detrimental effects of cancer on fertility can be severe and may vary depending on the chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgical treatments involved.

CONCLUSIONS

Fertility preservation should be addressed in an effort to mitigate the gonadal damage that may come with cancer therapy.