Preserving fertility in young patients with lymphoma: An overview

Abstract

Fertility preservation affords patients the ability to reproduce after the initial diagnosis and management of such malignancies as Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Certain chemotherapy regimens and pelvic radiotherapy confer a high-risk of subsequent gonadal compromise in both males and females. Fortunately, early counseling and initiation of fertility-preservation strategies promptly after diagnosis enable patients to maintain hope for future reproduction. Well-established methods for fertility preservation include embryo and oocyte cryopreservation in females and sperm cryopreservation in males. These methods enable patients to utilize assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization, at the time of desired childbearing in order to ensure genetic offspring. As most of these modalities are not feasible in some patient populations, including prepubescent patients, newer methods of fertility preservation must be created to ensure the ability to produce genetic offspring in lymphoma patients. This review provides insights into the impact of gonadotoxic treatment on ovarian and testicular function, and highlights current modalities in fertility preservation in both males and females.