Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal?
Genetic predisposition could have an important role in the pathogenesis of cancers in children and adolescents. A recent study by our group showed that, among female survivors of cancers in childhood and adolescence, the proportion of cases involving a possible genetic predisposition was sizable (at...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5626 |
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| author | Francesca Filippi Fedro Peccatori Siranoush Manoukian Carlo Alfredo Clerici Chiara Dallagiovanna Cristina Meazza Marta Podda Edgardo Somigliana Filippo Spreafico Maura Massimino Monica Terenziani |
| author_facet | Francesca Filippi Fedro Peccatori Siranoush Manoukian Carlo Alfredo Clerici Chiara Dallagiovanna Cristina Meazza Marta Podda Edgardo Somigliana Filippo Spreafico Maura Massimino Monica Terenziani |
| author_sort | Francesca Filippi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Genetic predisposition could have an important role in the pathogenesis of cancers in children and adolescents. A recent study by our group showed that, among female survivors of cancers in childhood and adolescence, the proportion of cases involving a possible genetic predisposition was sizable (at least one in five). Our sample is too small to be representative of the general population, but it gave us an opportunity to reappraise this issue. Women with a genetic predisposition can transmit the risk of cancer to their offspring, and their awareness of this may influence their reproductive and fertility preservation choices. In our experience, a predisposition to cancer receives little attention in the fertility counseling and decision-making process unless a patient already has a definitive molecular diagnosis of a hereditary cancer syndrome. We feel it is essential to empower women on this issue, particularly as there are ways to overcome the problem, including preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-M) in definitively diagnosed cases, egg donation and adoption. In the context of fertility counseling for survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence who have reached adulthood, the risk of transmitting a predisposition to cancer should be discussed with patients, if relevant and desired. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-16a84537a2044c92b2638d051f67ae43 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-16a84537a2044c92b2638d051f67ae432023-11-22T22:40:56ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942021-11-011322562610.3390/cancers13225626Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal?Francesca Filippi0Fedro Peccatori1Siranoush Manoukian2Carlo Alfredo Clerici3Chiara Dallagiovanna4Cristina Meazza5Marta Podda6Edgardo Somigliana7Filippo Spreafico8Maura Massimino9Monica Terenziani10Infertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyFertility and Procreation Unit, Division of Gynaecologic Oncology, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyMedical Genetics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyInfertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyPediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyPediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyInfertility Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyPediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyPediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyPediatric Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, 1-20133 Milan, ItalyGenetic predisposition could have an important role in the pathogenesis of cancers in children and adolescents. A recent study by our group showed that, among female survivors of cancers in childhood and adolescence, the proportion of cases involving a possible genetic predisposition was sizable (at least one in five). Our sample is too small to be representative of the general population, but it gave us an opportunity to reappraise this issue. Women with a genetic predisposition can transmit the risk of cancer to their offspring, and their awareness of this may influence their reproductive and fertility preservation choices. In our experience, a predisposition to cancer receives little attention in the fertility counseling and decision-making process unless a patient already has a definitive molecular diagnosis of a hereditary cancer syndrome. We feel it is essential to empower women on this issue, particularly as there are ways to overcome the problem, including preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-M) in definitively diagnosed cases, egg donation and adoption. In the context of fertility counseling for survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence who have reached adulthood, the risk of transmitting a predisposition to cancer should be discussed with patients, if relevant and desired.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5626hereditary cancer syndromecancer survivorsfertility preservationgeneticsinfertilitypreimplantation genetic testing |
| spellingShingle | Francesca Filippi Fedro Peccatori Siranoush Manoukian Carlo Alfredo Clerici Chiara Dallagiovanna Cristina Meazza Marta Podda Edgardo Somigliana Filippo Spreafico Maura Massimino Monica Terenziani Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? Cancers hereditary cancer syndrome cancer survivors fertility preservation genetics infertility preimplantation genetic testing |
| title | Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? |
| title_full | Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? |
| title_fullStr | Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? |
| title_short | Fertility Counseling in Survivors of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence: Time for a Reappraisal? |
| title_sort | fertility counseling in survivors of cancer in childhood and adolescence time for a reappraisal |
| topic | hereditary cancer syndrome cancer survivors fertility preservation genetics infertility preimplantation genetic testing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/13/22/5626 |
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