Fertility preservation techniques: laboratory and clinical progress and current issues

Human fertility is dependent on maturation of germ cells through meiosis and their association with supporting cells, which in the female are also the source of sex steroids. These processes are sensitive to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy thus can be damaged by anti-cancer treatments. The uterus is also sensitive to radiotherapy. Our understanding of and the ability to manipulate fertility has increased together with survival rates from many cancers, particularly those affecting children, younger men, and women. The growth of interest in fertility preservation for cancer patients is a natural union of these two fields. Sperm banking has been available for many years, and is a recognized and evidence-based option for men that should be available to all. Options for women and pre-pubertal boys and girls are, however, more experimental, other than for women of committing oocytes to fertilization and cryopreservation as embryos. This Focus Issue of Reproduction aims to address the current status of some of the clinical and laboratory aspects of this burgeoning subspecialty to highlight not only areas of progress but also areas of uncertainty where future developments are required to allow the provision of accurate information, and safe and effective treatments.