Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Fertility preservation in women with cancer: a national study about French oncologists awareness, experience, and feelings

  • Fertility Preservation
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study was designed to evaluate patient management and quality of information given by French oncologists to cancer women concerning fertility issues and possibilities of fertility preservation.

Methods

An online survey was sent to 1161 physicians in all major cancer centers throughout France between May 2012 and January 2013.

Results

A total of 102 responses were received and analyzed. Only 46% of all physicians surveyed reported discussing infertility risks with patients of reproductive age and 22% referred them to a fertility center before beginning treatments. Only 14% of practitioners considered themselves knowledgeable in FP techniques and ovarian transposition was the most frequently mentioned technique in consultation.

Conclusion

This study is at the best of our knowledge the first nationwide survey to assess the state of the art in oncofertility management. It highlights inadequate management of fertility preservation for female patients in France. Physicians reported lacking knowledge and tools that would allow them to provide patients with appropriate information. A better collaboration between cancer and fertility centers needs to be organized in France as already organized in other countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Epidémiologie. [Online]. Available: http://lesdonnees.e-cancer.fr/Themes/epidemiologie. Accessed 14 Jan 2018.

  2. SFC. [Online]. Available: http://sfc.asso.fr/. Accessed 07 Dec 2017.

  3. Le Bihan-Benjamin C, Hoog-Labouret N, Lefeuvre D, Carré-Pigeon F, Bousquet PJ. Fertility preservation and cancer: how many persons are concerned? Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2018;225:232–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Salama M, Woodruff TK. Anticancer treatments and female fertility: clinical concerns and role of oncologists in oncofertility practice. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2017;17(8):687–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Institut National Du Cancer—Accueil. [Online]. Available: http://www.e-cancer.fr/. Accessed 05 Nov 2017.

  6. Letourneau JM, Smith JF, Ebbel EE, Craig A, Katz PP, Cedars MI, et al. Racial, socioeconomic, and demographic disparities in access to fertility preservation in young women diagnosed with cancer. Cancer. 2012;118(18):4579–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Forman EJ, Anders CK, Behera MA. A nationwide survey of oncologists regarding treatment-related infertility and fertility preservation in female cancer patients. Fertil Steril. 2010;94(5):1652–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Forman EJ, Anders CK, Behera MA. Pilot survey of oncologists regarding treatment-related infertility and fertility preservation in female cancer patients. J Reprod Med. 2009;54(4):203–7.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Köhler TS, Kondapalli LA, Shah A, Chan S, Woodruff TK, Brannigan RE. Results from the survey for preservation of adolescent reproduction (SPARE) study: gender disparity in delivery of fertility preservation message to adolescents with cancer. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2011;28(3):269–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Quinn GP, Vadaparampil ST, Lee JH, Jacobsen PB, Bepler G, Lancaster J, et al. Physician referral for fertility preservation in oncology patients: a national study of practice behaviors. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2009;27(35):5952–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Quinn GP, Vadaparampil ST, Gwede CK, Miree C, King LM, Clayton HB, et al. Discussion of fertility preservation with newly diagnosed patients: oncologists’ views. J Cancer Surviv. 2007;1(2):146–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Loren AW, Mangu PB, Beck LN, Brennan L, Magdalinski AJ, Partridge AH, et al. Fertility preservation for patients with cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guideline update. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2013;31(19):2500–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Préaubert L, Poggi P, Pibarot M, Delotte J, Thibault E, Saias-Magnan J, et al. Fertility preservation among patients with cancer: report of a French regional practical experience. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod (Paris). 2013;42(3):246–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Code de la santé publique—Article L2141–1, vol. L2141–1.

  15. Vadaparampil S, Quinn G, King L, Wilson C, Nieder M. Barriers to fertility preservation among pediatric oncologists. Patient Educ Couns. 2008;72(3):402–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Adams E, Hill E, Watson E. Reply: comment on ‘fertility preservation in cancer survivors: a national survey of oncologists’ current knowledge, practice and attitudes’—oncologists must not allow personal attitudes to influence discussions on fertility preservation for cancer survivors. Br J Cancer. 2013;109(7):2021–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. AMP—Agence de la biomédecine. [Online]. Available: https://www.agence-biomedecine.fr/AMP. Accessed 08 Dec 2017.

  18. Lee SJ, Schover LR, Partridge AH, Patrizio P, Wallace WH, Hagerty K, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations on fertility preservation in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2006;24(18):2917–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Snyder KA, Pearse W. Discussing fertility preservation options with patients with cancer. JAMA. 2011;306(2):202–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. référentiel de préservation de fertilité AP-HP - Recherche Google. [Online]. Available: https://www.google.com/search?ei=HVEFW8_dEM6zsAeH2rDoCA&q=r%C3%A9f%C3%A9rentiel+de+pr%C3%A9servation+de+fertilit%C3%A9+AP-HP&oq=r%C3%A9f%C3%A9rentiel+de+pr%C3%A9servation+de+fertilit%C3%A9+AP-HP&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i160k1.6066306.6079497.0.6080419.29.29.0.0.0.0.370.2553.24j4j0j1.29.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.16.1592...35i39k1j33i21k1j33i22i29i30k1.0.TiaWeHpVqcY. Accessed 23 May 2018.

  21. Rousset-Jablonski C, Selle F, Adda-Herzog E, Planchamp F, Selleret L, Pomel C, et al. Fertility preservation, contraception and menopause hormone therapy in women treated for rare ovarian tumors: guidelines from the French national network dedicated to rare gynaecological cancer. Bull Cancer (Paris). 2018;105(3):299–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all of the physicians who answered the survey. Special thanks to Miss Joanne Kelvin from Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYC and Miss Sylvie Duquenois from Cochin Port Royal University Hospital, Obstetrics Unit, Paris.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP- HP), Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Cochin, Service d’Histologie-Embryologie-Biologie de la Reproduction, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France

    Amira Sallem, Lucile Ferreux, Catherine Patrat, Jean-Philippe Wolf & Khaled Pocate-Cheriet

  2. Département “Génomique, Epigénétique et Physiopathologie de la Reproduction,” Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France

    Amira Sallem, Catherine Patrat & Jean-Philippe Wolf

  3. Jean Verdier University Hospital, Gynecology and Obstetrics Unit, Bondy, France

    Joanna Shore

  4. Gineco group, Centre Leon Bérard, Hesper lab. EA 7425, Université Claude Bernard Lyon Est, Lyon, France

    Isabelle Ray-Coquard

  5. Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris (AP–HP), Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Cochin, Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique II et de Médecine de la Reproduction, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France

    Mathilde Bourdon & Chloé Maignien

  6. Département “Stress oxydant, prolifération cellulaire et inflammation” Institut Cochin, INSERM U1016, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France

    Mathilde Bourdon & Khaled Pocate-Cheriet

  7. IVF Laboratory Unit, Cochin-Port Royal Hospital, Cochin University-Hospital, 53, Observatoire Street, 75014, Paris, France

    Khaled Pocate-Cheriet

Authors
  1. Amira Sallem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joanna Shore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Isabelle Ray-Coquard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Lucile Ferreux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mathilde Bourdon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Chloé Maignien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Catherine Patrat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Jean-Philippe Wolf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Khaled Pocate-Cheriet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Khaled Pocate-Cheriet.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Amira Sallem and Joanna Shore consider that the first two authors should be regarded as joint First Authors.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 21 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sallem, A., Shore, J., Ray-Coquard, I. et al. Fertility preservation in women with cancer: a national study about French oncologists awareness, experience, and feelings. J Assist Reprod Genet 35, 1843–1850 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1251-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1251-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation