Researchers help preserve future fertility options for children impacted by cancer

University of Calgary researchers are giving children and adolescents whose fertility may be impacted by cancer, or treatments associated with cancer, new hope of having their own biological child, one day. Advancements in technology and scientific understanding are creating new possibilities to preserve fertility.

“We have established an ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) program in Calgary,” says Dr. Shu Foong, MD’97, specialist in reproductive endocrinology and infertility and clinical assistant professor at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). “For the first time, prepubertal patients with ovaries who are facing cancer treatments that may impact their fertility have an option that they may be able to have their own biological child one day.”

OTC involves removing a portion or the whole ovary through laparoscopy using a camera and small incisions before cancer treatment starts. The tissue is cryopreserved using a technique called slow-freezing or vitrification so that it may be reimplanted at a future date. Foong and colleagues, Drs. Sarah McQuillan, MD, and Gregory Guilcher, MD, say they’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from families about the program.

“OTC is the only option for fertility preservation for a young girl who is prepubertal and sometimes also the only option for girls who are post puberty, depending on the specific situation,” says Guilcher, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist and associate professor at CSM. “Having this expertise and leadership in Calgary is a wonderful option for our young patients and their families.”

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