Autotransplantation of Cryopreserved/Thawed Ovarian Tissue: Overview of Methods and Challenges

Year 2019, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 1 - 10, 20.03.2019

Hulya Ayik , Yasemin Goksu Erol , Armagan Aydin

https://doi.org/10.31832/smj.507191

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing
number of women diagnosed with malignant or non-malignant diseases have been
subjected to cytotoxic chemoradiotherapy. Women who face the possibility of
premature or imminent ovarian failure caused by cytotoxic therapy may retain
their fertility potential via ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Despite its
advantages, this fertility preservation method for women at risk of losing
reproductive function is considered experimental due to 1) a possible decrease
in the ovarian follicular pool as a result of cryopreservation and thawing procedures
(although this has been minimised by improved methods), or by ischemic damage
occurring during ovarian transplantation; and 2) the risk of minimal residual
disease (which is the most important factor). Although the indications for
ovarian cryopreservation now extend beyond cancer, cancer survivors remain as the
patient population who most commonly need this procedure. For
these patients, the risk of minimal residual disease, which can be defined as
reintroducing pre-existing cancer cells, is an important challenge for the
application of this method. Even though the risk of reimplanting pre-existing
cancer cells through ovarian transplantation is minimal or non-existent for
most types of cancer, this risk must be ascertained according to cancer type and
disease stage.

Keywords

Human, ovary, cryopreservation, transplantation, fertility preservation

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