UCalgary researchers help preserve future fertility options for children impacted by cancer

Calgary, AB – 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. 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.”

Dr. Shu Foong, MD, clinical assistant professor, Cumming School of Medicine

Ryan understands the devastating consequences of cancer treatment on fertility. As a boy, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He underwent two years of chemotherapy. After being cancer free for a time, the cancer returned and was localized to his testicles. He was too young to preserve sperm. The radiation treatments were effective in stopping the cancer and saving Ryan’s life, but he couldn’t preserve his fertility. When he married, and began family planning, Ryan and his wife investigated what options were available to them. In the end, Ryan’s wife was able to conceive through invitro fertilization with donor sperm. Now, many years later Ryan was offered the chance to preserve fertility for his daughter.

“Michelle was only nine-years old when we learned she had the same rare gene mutation that led to a fatal cancer diagnosis for her mother. We knew the only way to prevent this aggressive cancer was preventative surgery. I could save Michelle’s life, and thanks to Dr. Foong I could also offer Michelle an opportunity to make her own decision about having her own children when she’s ready.”

Ryan, father who chose OTC to preserve his daughter’s fertility

Families first meet with an oncologist, who introduces the fertility preservation option as part of the care plan where a child or adolescent is facing aggressive chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy that is likely to impact their fertility. The process involves removing a portion or the whole ovary through laparoscopy 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 member of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute at the CSM. “Having this expertise and leadership in Calgary is a wonderful option for our young patients and their families.”

“In terms of cancer, survival in the pediatric population in Canada is approaching 90 per cent, now. Reproductive potential in the future is so important because it gives them hope for a future 10, 20, 30 years down the road and that they will be able to build their own family with their own biological children if they would desire that in the future,” says McQuillan, clinical associate professor and program director for the Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Fellowship.

Guilcher says OTC is changing the conversations he’s having with many of his young patients, and their families, and not just families facing a cancer diagnosis.

“Also importantly, we do bone marrow transplants not only for children with cancer, but children and young people with non-malignant conditions, like serious blood disorders such as sickle cell disease or thalassemia. These young patients require chemotherapy or radiation as part of the bone marrow transplant procedure, which can compromise fertility.”

Currently OTC is not covered by Alberta Health.

“I hope that in my career I will soon see the day where cost is not a barrier for all our patients to access care,” says Foong. “Costs should not be an obstacle for a young child to gain access to the OTC program. Any child or their families should be able to access OTC as a piece of hope that they will store away for the future.”

The team anticipates 40 families per year would be interested in access to OTC.

*The names of the family members referenced in this article have been changed out of respect for their privacy.

Media inquiries

Kelly Johnston
Sr. Communications Specialist
Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary
Kelly.johnston2@ucalgary.ca
403-617-8691

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