The A-Z of fertility treatment

Curing cancer is the primary goal of any treatment. However, the drugs or chemotherapeutic agents used can have a significant impact on fertility, which may sometimes be neglected in oncology education. However, fertility preservation counselling is important for patients, as the chances of cure and survival have increased significantly in recent years due to the further development of oncological therapies. It is therefore to be expected that the fulfilment of the desire to have children after therapy can play an important role in further life planning and the cured persons could also be particularly interested in possibilities to preserve or restore fertility on the one hand or to achieve the desired pregnancy with the possibilities of modern fertility therapy on the other hand.

The decisive factor here is: every day counts! Immediately after the diagnosis of cancer, an individualised therapy concept is needed, whereby time plays a very decisive role: After all, the measures usually have to take place in the short time span between the diagnosis and the start of chemo- or radiotherapy. Sometimes valuable days and weeks are lost until one is assigned to a fertility centre.

That means concretely:

The first decision as to whether fertility preservation measures should be carried out takes place in a small time window between the cancer diagnosis and the start of treatment.
The second decision, whether the person actually wants to have a child, is made some time after the end of cancer treatment; it is usually recommended (especially for women) to wait another 2 years after that. So there is still plenty of time for this decision - and for this decision we recommend that you organize detailed oncological counselling again and possibly also a discussion with a psychooncologist.

GO TO VIDEO "FERTILITY PRESERVATION & CANCER" (in German) 

Fertility preservation measures for cancer patients

For women:

• Medication to protect the ovaries under chemotherapy
• Surgical relocation of the ovaries
• Cryopreservation of ovarian tissue ("Ovarian Tissue Banking" - OTB)
• Cryopreservation of oocytes / embryos after hormonal stimulation

For men:

• Cryopreservation of sperm cells / Creation of a sperm depot after delivery of one or more samples by masturbation
• Cryopreservation of sperm cells from testicular tissue

see "Cancer & fertility"

This disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found mainly in wheat and other grains such as rye and barley. When patients suffering from coeliac disease consume gluten, the mucous membrane of the small intestine becomes increasingly inflamed and it becomes difficult for them to absorb certain nutrients and vitamins. The disease manifests itself through various, sometimes very general complaints, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea or constipation, so that the diagnosis is sometimes only made very late.

Coeliac disease has numerous effects on fertility. Women who suffer from this disease have more difficulties getting pregnant, a higher risk of miscarriage, and the children grow smaller and are born smaller and prematurely. These risks are particularly evident in untreated women.

For this reason, patients who suffer from unclear symptoms should investigate whether they have coeliac disease. A specific blood test can help to establish the diagnosis quickly. The above-mentioned risks can be reduced by an appropriate diet.