Contraception and cancer treatment in young persons

Abstract

Adolescence and young adulthood can be an extremely stressful time for all concerned. When this period is compounded by the development of cancer, formidable and seemingly insurmountable problems may be perceived. With an annual incidence rate in western populations of around 250-300 per million, cancer in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) is relatively uncommon. In the western countries, five-year survival of patients diagnosed around 1990 exceeded 70%; therefore, many AYAs with cancer may remain fertile. Further advances in therapeutic modalities are creating a generation of AYAs with cancer who can now aspire to the same sexual and reproductive activities as their healthy peers. This then raises the issue of avoidance of undesired pregnancy during and after treatment. This chapter aims to address the contraceptive needs of AYAs undergoing treatment for cancer. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.