[Children of former cancer patients]

Intensive chemo- and radiotherapy in many cases leads to cure of malignant diseases and thus to an increasing number of former childhood and adult cases of cancer who now wish to start a family. A survey among 58 oncologic-paediatric and 26 obstetric-gynaecologic centres and a review of the literature was meant to demonstrate the effects of cytostatic treatment on the issue of treated persons. A total of 627 children of 537 preconceptionally treated patients could be assessed. 59 (9.4%) of these showed abnormalities. This corresponds to the frequency in a normal population. On the basis of these results effects of intensive tumour treatment on subsequent deliveries cannot be demonstrated. Thus, too pessimistic an attitude towards conception after treatment for cancer does at present not appear justified from a medical viewpoint.