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Higher reproductive concerns associated with fertility consultation: a cross-sectional study of young adult male cancer survivors

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Abstract

Purpose

This study examined associations between fertility consultation (FC) and multiple dimensions of reproductive concerns among young adult (YA) male cancer survivors.

Methods

One hundred and seventy YA male cancer survivors (age 18 to 35) across the USA completed an online survey between 2016 and 2018. Participants reported demographics, receipt of FC, and reproductive concerns. Reproductive concerns were measured multidimensionally using the Reproductive Concerns after Cancer-Male scale. We used log binomial regression to examine associations between FC and high reproductive concerns across multiple domains.

Results

In multivariate analyses adjusting for desire for children, FC was associated with higher likelihood of having at least one high reproductive concern (relative risk [RR] 1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.7). Across subscales, FC was associated with greater likelihood of having high concerns about fertility potential (RR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–3.0), achieving pregnancy (RR 3.5, 95% CI 1.3–9.5), their (potential) child’s health (RR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.2), and disclosing infertility to a partner (RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8–4.1). In contrast, associations were not observed between FC and likelihood of high concerns about personal health (RR 1.4, 95% CI 0.5–3.8) or acceptance of infertility (RR 1.8, 95% CI 0.8–3.9).

Conclusions

YA male cancer survivors who received FC were more likely to have high reproductive concerns than those who did not receive FC. Men who seek out FC after cancer diagnosis may need additional support for their reproductive concerns. Research is needed to identify strategies to alleviate these concerns among this population.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the men who participated in this study.

Funding

This study was funded by Oregon State University and UCSD Academy of Clinician Scholars.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, 2250 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Julia H. Drizin & Jessica R. Gorman

  2. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA

    Brian W. Whitcomb

  3. Department of Urology, UC San Diego Health System, 200 W Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA

    Tung-Chin Hsieh

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  1. Julia H. Drizin
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  4. Jessica R. Gorman
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Correspondence to Jessica R. Gorman.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (Oregon State University Institutional Review Board: 8731; University of California San Diego Institutional Review Board: 181035) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Drizin, J.H., Whitcomb, B.W., Hsieh, TC. et al. Higher reproductive concerns associated with fertility consultation: a cross-sectional study of young adult male cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 29, 741–750 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05527-5

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