Biomaterial Database

Pediatric fertility preservation: is it time to offer testicular tissue cryopreservation? 2008

Ariel Revel, and Shoshana Revel-Vilk

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah Medical Center and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. arielr2@hadassah.org.il

As the effectiveness of cancer treatments has improved, children diagnosed with cancer can enjoy a longer life free of the disease. However, chemotherapeutic regimens alone or in combination with radiation therapy frequently result in azoospermia or infertility. This paper reviews currently and potentially available methods to maintain fertility in boys undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Whenever possible, chemotherapeutic agents that are less likely to cause azoospermia, should be considered. Hormonal suppression applied prior to and during chemotherapy may protect future male fertility. Cryopreservation of sperm enables men to reproduce in the future. New techniques, such as in vitro fertilization with intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection offer a more promising future for male cancer sufferers. These techniques however, are not applicable to pre-puberty cancer patients. The use of spermatogonial and embryonic stem cells open new possibilities for boys diagnosed with cancer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007248	Infertility, Male	The inability of the male to effect FERTILIZATION of an OVUM after a specified period of unprotected intercourse. Male sterility is permanent infertility.	Sterility, Male,Sub-Fertility, Male,Subfertility, Male,Male Infertility,Male Sterility,Male Sub-Fertility,Male Subfertility,Sub Fertility, Male
D008297	Male		Males
D011878	Radiotherapy	The use of IONIZING RADIATION to treat malignant NEOPLASMS and some benign conditions.	Radiotherapy, Targeted,Targeted Radiotherapy,Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapy, Targeted,Radiation Treatment,Targeted Radiation Therapy,Radiation Therapies,Radiation Therapies, Targeted,Radiation Treatments,Radiotherapies,Radiotherapies, Targeted,Targeted Radiation Therapies,Targeted Radiotherapies,Therapies, Radiation,Therapies, Targeted Radiation,Therapy, Radiation,Therapy, Targeted Radiation,Treatment, Radiation
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012662	Semen Preservation	The process by which semen is kept viable outside of the organism from which it was derived (i.e., kept from decay by means of a chemical agent, cooling, or a fluid substitute that mimics the natural state within the organism).	Frozen Semen,Sperm Preservation,Preservation, Semen,Preservation, Sperm,Semen, Frozen
D013736	Testicular Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the TESTIS. Germ cell tumors (GERMINOMA) of the testis constitute 95% of all testicular neoplasms.	Cancer of Testis,Cancer of the Testes,Testicular Cancer,Testicular Neoplasm,Testicular Tumor,Testis Cancer,Cancer of the Testis,Neoplasms, Testicular,Neoplasms, Testis,Testicular Tumors,Testis Neoplasms,Tumor of Rete Testis,Cancer, Testicular,Cancer, Testis,Cancers, Testicular,Cancers, Testis,Neoplasm, Testicular,Neoplasm, Testis,Rete Testis Tumor,Rete Testis Tumors,Testicular Cancers,Testis Cancers,Testis Neoplasm,Testis Tumor, Rete,Testis Tumors, Rete,Tumor, Testicular,Tumors, Testicular
D013737	Testis	The male gonad containing two functional parts: the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES for the production and transport of male germ cells (SPERMATOGENESIS) and the interstitial compartment containing LEYDIG CELLS that produce ANDROGENS.	Testicles,Testes,Testicle