Ovarian tissue transplant can boost fertility in women with cancer

Receiving treatment for cancer can render a woman infertile. However, a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction found that transplanted ovarian tissue can enable a woman to get pregnant and bear healthy children.

The study was made on 41 women on Denmark who preserved some of their ovarian tissue by having one ovary removed and cut into strips and then had them frozen. Once the cancer treatment is over and the woman has recovered, the doctors then unfreeze the tissue and transplant it to the existing ovary of the women. According to Washington Post, in the 32 women who want to get pregnant, 10 were able to give birth.

Through this procedure, 14 children were born to the 41 women, with eight through natural means of conception and six through IV, The Belfast Telegraph reports.

"As far as we know this is the largest series of ovarian tissue transplantation performed worldwide, and these findings show that grafted ovarian tissue is effective in restoring ovarian function in a safe manner," said Dr. Annette Jensen of Copenhagen's Rigshospitalet. "The fact that cancer survivors are now able to have a child of their own is an immense quality-of-life boost for them."

Out of the 41 women, only three suffered from relapse, two from breast cancer and one from Ewing's sarcoma. However, the tissue transplant did not appear to have caused the returning of their cancers. No cancer developed in the site of the transplanted tissue as well. The researchers have not offered or recommended the ovarian tissue transplant procedure to leukemia patients because the ovarian tissue may contain malignant cells.

"It's important that women who have received transplanted ovarian tissue continue to be followed up," Dr. Jensen added. "In particular, we have not performed transplants in patients who have suffered from leukaemia, since the ovarian tissue may harbour malignant cells in this group of patients."

Dr. Jensen also noted that as the technology and techniques for ovarian tissue transplantation move forward, the possibility of preserving the fertility in young women cancer patients become more included in cancer treatment.

According to Dr. Avner Hershlag from New York's North Shore University Hospital, the study and research is "exciting" as the ovary transplantation procedure has been made possible through advances in reproductive medicine and treatment of cancer.

"The pregnancy rate with frozen embryos is close to 50 percent, and results are getting better. It remains to be seen which method is better," Dr. Hershlag said, referring to other options of conception, via US News.