[Maintaining fertility in connection with cancer therapy]

Radiation therapy and cytotoxic agents, especially alkylating agents targeted to the area of reproductive organs and testicles, are toxic to gametes. The treatments reduce the number of ovarian follicles. Getting pregnant is recommended as soon as possible (once the patient is considered cured from malignancy). In men, cryopreservation of semen should be remembered before cytotoxic treatments. Conservative surgery of early stage cancers of reproductive organs, GnRH agonist drug therapy, in vitro fertilization, and cryopreservation of embryos are means of maintaining fertility.