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Progress and prospects for fertility preservation in prepubertal boys with cancer

Inge Gies1, Jean De Schepper, Herman Tournaye

  • 1aDivision of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics bCentre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel cResearch Group Biology of the Testis, Department of Embryology and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity
|April 15, 2015
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Fertility preservation options for prepubertal boys have expanded. Successful spermatogonial stem cell transplantation in monkeys and improved methods offer new hope for preserving fertility before cancer treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Oncology
  • Stem Cell Biology

Background:

  • Fertility preservation is a growing concern for prepubescent boys undergoing cancer therapy.
  • Advancements in stem cell research offer potential solutions for maintaining reproductive capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the expanded options for fertility preservation in prepubescent boys.
  • To highlight recent progress in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation and related techniques.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies on SSC transplantation in animal models (mice, rhesus monkeys).
  • Analysis of new protocols for SSC transplantation and niche environment mimicry.
  • Evaluation of novel strategies for eliminating cancer contamination in human testicular cells.

Main Results:

  • Successful autologous and allogeneic SSC transplantation demonstrated in rhesus monkeys.
  • Development of improved protocols for SSC transplantation and testicular niche reconstruction.
  • Clarification of a multiparametric sorting strategy to ensure cancer-free human testicular cell suspensions.

Conclusions:

  • Retrieval and cryopreservation of testicular tissue should be offered to prepubertal boys at high risk of fertility loss due to cancer therapy.
  • This should be done within an experimental context, pending further safety data.
  • Advancements in SSC transplantation and cell sorting offer promising avenues for future fertility restoration.

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