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When
you're told you have cancer, your ability to have children (your fertility) may
be the furthest thing from your mind. Whether you already have children or
haven't yet thought about becoming a parent, it is worth thinking about your
fertility before starting some forms of cancer treatment.
Cancer
treatments that can affect your fertility include chemotherapy, radiotherapy,
and surgery on your reproductive organs, including the ovaries or testicles.
Hormone therapies and other treatments may also have an impact on fertility,
but less is known about the effects of these treatments. – NHS Choices
How can treatment affect fertility?
The main treatments for cancer
are chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy.
These treatments affect fertility by:
- Damaging the eggs or ovaries.
- Affecting hormone production.
- Altering or removing the womb.
Cancer treatments can affect fertility in different ways:
- Chemotherapy can affect the ovaries. It can cause fewer or no eggs to be produced. Chemotherapy can have a temporary or permanent effect on fertility.
- Radiotherapy can affect egg production. It can also damage the ovaries or womb, and reduce hormone levels. Different types of radiotherapy have different effects on fertility.
- Surgery to your womb, ovaries or pituitary gland can affect your fertility.
- Hormonal therapy reduces or blocks the hormones in your body. The effects on fertility are usually temporary.
- Targeted therapies may have an effect on fertility but not much is known about this yet.
Changes to fertility are permanent for some women, but temporary for
others. Your doctor will be able to talk to you about any possible fertility
risks with your treatment. You can speak to your doctor about having your
fertility tested after you finish cancer treatment. – Macmillan
Cancer and
Fertility UK
Cancer and Fertility UK was founded by Becki McGuinness, who launched a
campaign to raise awareness of the effects of cancer and its treatment on
fertility for all cancer patients, as well as healthcare professionals. The Vicious Cycle Campaign aims to
ensure that oncologists bring up the subject of fertility with every patient
and that there are equal opportunities for all patients to access fertility
specialist services.
“Becki was not given the choice to preserve her
fertility even though there was enough time and it wasn’t detrimental to her
health. After Becki became stronger years later, she decided she would try her
best to raise awareness so this doesn’t happen to any more young adults with
cancer.” – Cancer
and Fertility UK
Becki has recently had a celebrity ambassador – Billy Billingham of Channel 4’s SAS Who Dares Wins. You can find out more about Cancer and Fertility UK and The Vicious Cycle Campaign here: www.cancerandfertility.co.uk
Useful links
Cancer and
Fertility UK – The Vicious Cycle Campaign: https://cancerandfertility.co.uk/about/
NHS Choices
– Cancer and Fertility: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/cancer/Pages/cancer-and-fertility.aspx
Macmillan –
Infertility in women: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/fertility-in-women
Macmillan –
Infertility in men: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/fertility-in-men
