PurposeOncofertility focuses on providing fertility and endocrine-sparing options to
patients who undergo life-preserving but gonadotoxic cancer treatment. The
resources needed to meet patient demand often are fragmented along
disciplinary lines. We quantify assets and gaps in oncofertility care on a
global scale.MethodsSurvey-based questionnaires were provided to 191 members of the Oncofertility
Consortium Global Partners Network, a National Institutes of
Health–funded organization. Responses were analyzed to measure trends
and regional subtleties about patient oncofertility experiences and to
analyze barriers to care at sites that provide oncofertility services.ResultsSixty-three responses were received (response rate, 25%), and 40 were
analyzed from oncofertility centers in 28 countries. Thirty of 40 survey
results (75%) showed that formal referral processes and psychological care
are provided to patients at the majority of sites. Fourteen of 23
respondents (61%) stated that some fertility preservation services are not
offered because of cultural and legal barriers. The growth of oncofertility
and its capacity to improve the lives of cancer survivors around the globe
relies on concentrated efforts to increase awareness, promote collaboration,
share best practices, and advocate for research funding.ConclusionThis survey reveals global and regional successes and challenges and provides
insight into what is needed to advance the field and make the discussion of
fertility preservation and endocrine health a standard component of the
cancer treatment plan. As the field of oncofertility continues to develop
around the globe, regular assessment of both international and regional
barriers to quality care must continue to guide process improvements.
Fertility preservation in the cancer setting, known as oncofertility, is a field that requires cross-disciplinary interaction between physicians, basic scientists, clinical researchers, ethicists, lawyers, educators, and religious leaders. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Oncofertility Consortium (OC) was formed to be a scientifically grounded, transparent, and altruistic resource, both intellectual and monetary, for building this new field of practice capable of addressing the unique needs of young patients with cancer. The OC has expanded its attention to include other nonmalignant conditions that can threaten fertility, and the work of the OC now extends around the globe, involving partners who together have created a community of shared effort, resources, and practices. The OC creates materials that are translated, disseminated, and amended by all participants in the field, and local programs of excellence have developed worldwide to accelerate the pace and improve the quality of oncofertility research and practice. Here we review the global oncofertility programs and the capacity building activities that strengthen these research and clinical programs, ultimately improving patient care.
PurposeIn the accompanying article, “Analysis of Fertility Preservation
Options Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe,” we
showed that specific fertility preservation services may not be offered at
various sites around the world because of cultural and legal barriers. We
assessed global and regional experiences as well as the legal status of
third-party reproduction and adoption to serve as a comprehensive
international data set and resource for groups that wish to begin
oncofertility interventions.MethodsWe provide data on the legalities of third-party assisted reproductive
technologies and other family-building options in the 28
oncofertility-practicing countries surveyed.ResultsWe found regional and country differences that will be important in the
development of tailored resources for physicians and for patient brochures
that are sensitive to these local restrictions and cultural norms.ConclusionBecause many patients first consult Web-based materials, the formal
assessment of the availability of these options provides members of the
global oncofertility community with data to which they might otherwise not
have ready access to better serve their patients.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.