This study evaluated the current status of reproductive disorders and provision of information on oncofertility to female adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients in Japan.
A national survey of AYA cancer survivors was conducted. Children were <15 years old, and AYAs were 15-39 years old. Results from the survivors of other than gynecological disease who underwent chemotherapy were analyzed.
Among the survivors, 41.4% were concerned about their reproductive function and infertility, and 36.2% were aware of menstrual cycle abnormalities. Among them, 15.5% (n = 20) of all and 21.2% (n = 17) of the AYA-onset survivors suffered infertility due to chemo- or radiotherapy and gave up childbearing. These rates were significantly higher than those of healthy AYAs. Although 80.8% of AYA-onset survivors answered that they had received information on reproductive function and infertility, only 55.8% had received information on fertility preservation methods. Furthermore, only 22.4% of all and 42.3% of AYA-onset survivors had received pretreatment information on fertility preservation methods.
Not a few AYA cancer survivors reported reproductive dysfunction. These findings indicate that information provided on therapy-related problems before cancer treatment in Japan was insufficient and highlight the need to improve patient decision-making and support systems for fertility preservation.
Reproductive medicine and biology. 2018 Nov 20*** epublish ***
Tatsuro Furui, Yasushi Takai, Fuminori Kimura, Michio Kitajima, Mikiya Nakatsuka, Ken-Ichiro Morishige, Akiko Higuchi, Chikako Shimizu, Miwa Ozawa, Akira Ohara, Ryohei Tatara, Terukazu Nakamura, Keizo Horibe, Nao Suzuki
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine Gifu Japan., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center Saitama Medical University Kawagoe Japan., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Shiga University of Medical Science Otsu Japan., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Nagasaki Japan., Assisted Reproductive Technology Center Okayama University Okayama City Japan., Children's Cancer Association of Japan Tokyo Japan., Department of Oncology National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital Tokyo Japan., Department of Pediatrics St. Luke's International Hospital Tokyo Japan., Department of Pediatrics Toho University Tokyo Japan., Department of Palliative Medicine Osaka City General Hospital Osaka Japan., Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Science Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Kyoto Japan., Clinical Research Center National Hospital Organization Nagoya Medical Center Nagoya Japan., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology St. Marianna University School of Medicine Kawasaki Japan.