Abstract
Advances in multimodal treatment have led to dramatic improvement in cancer treatment outcomes. It is now necessary to consider cancer patients’ holistic quality of life. Fertility preservation is the top concern for cancer survivors of reproductive age. Sperm cryopreservation before treatment is recommended for postpubescent men, but many patients lose fertility without having been informed about options for fertility preservation. To determine how sperm cryopreservation is perceived and practiced in Japan, we surveyed hematologists who often treat young males. A questionnaire about sperm cryopreservation was sent to 45 major hematology institutions. A total of 22 institutions responded before the deadline. All institutions but one responded that they felt sperm cryopreservation is necessary. Only 15 institutions responded that they inform patients about sperm cryopreservation, and 12 institutions responded that they perform sperm cryopreservation before chemotherapy. A total of 213 young males started their first course of chemotherapy during the survey period, of whom 61 (28.6%) had their sperm cryopreserved. Although almost all hematologists stated that sperm cryopreservation is necessary for fertility preservation, not all institutions informed patients about it. Our findings indicate that, to promote fertility preservation in Japan, it will be necessary to systematize sperm cryopreservation and build inter-hospital networks.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Chiba University Hospital, Dokkyo Medical University Hospital, Jichi Medical University Hospital, Juntendo University Hospital, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kawaguchi Municipal Medical Center, Kyorin University Hospital, National Defense Medical College Hospital, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical Center Jichi Medical University, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama Red Cross Hospital, The Cancer Institute Hospital of JFCR (Japanese foundation for Cancer Research), The Jikei University Kashiwa Hospital, Tokyo Medical University Hospital, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo Teishin Hospital, Toranomon Hospital, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital for their help.
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Kobayashi, T., Shin, T., Nishio, K. et al. A questionnaire survey on attitude toward sperm cryopreservation among hematologists in Japan. Int J Hematol 105, 349–352 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-016-2134-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-016-2134-8