Cryopreservation and autotransplantation of human ovarian tissue prior to cytotoxic therapy--a technique in its infancy but already successful in fertility preservation.
Increasing survival rates in young cancer patients, new reproductive techniques and the growing interest in quality of life after gonadotoxic cancer therapies have placed fertility preservation as an important issue to oncologists, fertility specialists and patients. Several techniques are now available for fertility preservation in these patients. A new promising method is cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian cortex. Ovarian tissue can be extracted by laparoscopy without any significant delay of gonadotoxic therapy. The tissue can be cryopreserved by specialised centres of reproductive medicine and transplanted in case the women experience premature ovarian failure (POF). This review summarises the European expertise on cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue, following around 30 reported transplantations globally, resulting in six live births and several ongoing pregnancies. It emphasises that fertility preservation by the cryopreservation of ovarian tissue is a new but already a successful clinical option, which can be considered for selected cancer patients.
von Wolff
Michael
M
Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bern, Women's Hospital, Inselspital, Effingerstrasse 102, Bern 3010, Switzerland. Michael.vonWolff@insel.ch
Donnez
Jacques
J
Hovatta
Outi
O
Keros
Victoria
V
Maltaris
Theodoris
T
Montag
Markus
M
Salle
Bruno
B
Sonmezer
Murat
M
Andersen
Claus Yding
CY
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000556:secondary; D010053:Ovary / Q000637:transplantation*; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery*; D014015:Tissue Banks
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents