The Current Trend of Fertility Preservation in Patients with Cervical Cancer

Abstract

Although the incidence of most cancers increases with age, a considerable number of patients receive a diagnosis of cancer during their reproductive years. Young women wishing to get pregnant after cancer treatment should be provided consultation for fertility preservation and possible options. In patients with cervical cancer, hysterectomy is often inevitable because the uterus is located too close to the cervix. For young patients with cervical cancer who desire to get pregnant and whose lesion is confined to the cervix, sparing the uterus and, partially, the cervix should be prioritized as much as possible, while simultaneously ensuring favorable oncologic outcomes. In this review, we explore how to choose an adequate fertility-preserving procedure to achieve a balance between favorable oncologic outcomes and fertility and management during pregnancy after a radical trachelectomy in women with early-stage cervical cancer. For patients who require hysterectomy or radiation, evaluation of the ovarian condition and laparoscopic ovarian transposition followed by the use of artificial reproduction techniques and pregnancy by surrogacy should be discussed as options to achieve a successful pregnancy.