[Fertility problems in oncofertility treatment -- including ASCO guidelines]

Owing to the progress in early detection and multidisciplinary treatment of cancer, the interest in better quality of life (QOL) among young cancer patients has increased in recent years. Previously, the top priority of these patients was cancer treatment; therefore, little focus was placed on various complications of cancer treatment. Consequently, some patients were forced to accept the prospect of fertility loss and not being able to bear children after cancer treatment. Young cancer patients face both the risk to their lives due to cancer and the risk of fertility loss, and the practice of fertility preservation with accurate information available at the appropriate time may become a great source of hope for these patients. However, whether this precise information relating to fertility is adequately provided to patients before cancer treatment is not known. Health care providers should have accurate knowledge of such issues and offer the best oncofertility treatment to young cancer patients. It is also necessary to emphasize to these patients that cancer treatment is the top priority, as well as to convey the limits of reproductive medicine, such as the fact that infertility treatment may have to be postponed or terminated because of the underlying disease situation.