Aim
The survival rates of cancer patients have greatly improved owing to the advances in oncology. The preservation of fertility in cancer patients is an important task. To determine the reality of cryopreservation of embryos, oocytes and ovarian tissue in cancer patients, large‐scale survey analysis was performed in Japan.
Methods
We sent 613 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology‐certified assisted reproductive technology institutions a questionnaire about their experience of performing cryopreservation for cancer patients between January 2011 and December 2015. Subsequently, the institutions that conducted cryopreservation for cancer patients were sent a second questionnaire.
Results
We received replies from 481 (78.5%) institutions. Among them, 126 (26.2%) conducted cryopreservation for cancer patients. These 126 institutions were sent a second questionnaire. Of these, 108 (85.7%) institutions responded. At the 108 institutions, 1085 embryo or oocyte cryopreservation procedures and 122 ovarian tissue cryopreservation procedures were conducted for cancer patients. Cryopreservation was mainly performed for breast cancer patients (~70%), followed by patients with hematological malignancy. A total of 361 and 19 embryo transfer cycles were performed for patients whose embryos and oocytes were cryopreserved, respectively, and 42 and seven institutions reported pregnancy outcomes after embryo transfer in patients that underwent embryo and oocyte cryopreservation, respectively. However, pregnancy was not observed in the seven cases that underwent ovarian tissue transfer.
Conclusion
Indications, age limits and ovarian stimulation protocols for cryopreservation widely varied between the institutions. A national registration system for oncofertility must be established to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the current system.
Background
The effects of transdermal estradiol treatment (HT) in amenorrheic athletes (AA) with low body weight (BW) and low bone mineral density (BMD) are unknown.
Purpose
To investigate whether HT increases BMD in AA with low BW and to compare the results with levels in AA who have recovered spontaneous menstruation (SM).
Methods
Female athletes (n = 151) were recruited at the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences and the University of Tokyo. All participants were divided into four groups: an AA group (untreated group) (n = 36), a HT group (n = 55), a SM group (n = 21), and an eumenorrheic athletes (EA) group (n = 39). Height, body weight, blood tests, and dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry were measured at baseline and after 12 months. The HT group was treated daily for 12 months with transdermal estrogen therapy. In addition, participants received oral progestin for 7 days once every 3 months.
Results
After 12 months, BMD in the AA group was significantly lower than at baseline; however, BMD in the other three groups was significantly higher than at baseline. The ratio of the change in BMD values before and after 12 months was −1.6 ± 3.2% for the AA group, 5.3 ± 8.7% for the HT group, 11.1 ± 8.9% for the SM group, and 2.3 ± 5.7% for the EA group. The rate of change in BMD values in the SM group was greater than that in the HT group.
Conclusion
HT increased BMD in AA with low BW, and the increase in those with SM was greater than that in those treated with HT.
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