Female fertility preservation (FP) at pediatric cancer centers: A report from the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).

Authors

null

Jennifer Levine

Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY

Jennifer Levine , Gwendolyn P. Quinn , James Klotsky , Joanne Frankel Kelvin , Brooke Cherven , Elyse Bryson , Sameeya Ahmed-Winston , Natasha Frederick , Julienne Brackett , Lillian Meacham , David Robert Freyer , Christopher Dvorak , Eric Jessen Chow

Organizations

Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, Children's National, Washington, DC, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, Baylor College of Medicine - Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Houston, TX, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA

Research Funding

U.S. National Institutes of Health

Background: Preserved fertility after cancer is a priority for female survivors and their families. Embryo/oocyte cryopreservation are standard of care (SOC) for post-pubertal females. Experimental ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) is the only current option for pre-pubertal girls. We surveyed COG sites about their FP infrastructure and practices. Methods: A REDcap survey was emailed to one individual previously identified as knowledgeable about FP or the Principal Investigator at each COG site. Site specific factors associated with outcomes were determined using logistic regression. All study procedures were IRB-approved. Results: Responses were received from 144 of 220 sites (65%). Discussions about fertility at diagnosis were reported as routinely held with all females “at risk” of infertility, all post pubertal females, and all females at 113 (78%), 94 (65%), and 65 (45%) of sites respectively. Embryo/oocyte cryopreservation was offered at 95 (70%) institutions and independently associated with large (>120 new patients/year) sites (OR 6.0 95%CI 1.6-22.8) and presence of a FP navigator/team (OR 4.7 95%CI 1.7-13.5). OTC was offered at 64 (48%) sites: 34 (25%) by referral to another institution, 18 (13%) under an IRB protocol, and 12 (9%) as a clinical service. OTC accessibility was associated with large sites (OR 3.2 95% CI 1.1-8.9) and a FP navigator/team (OR 3.2 95%CI 1.4-7.0). A total of 102/133 (77%) sites use gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) for any indication; 90 (68%) for menstrual suppression, 75 (56%) with the goal of ovarian suppression for fertility preservation, and 27 (20%) for contraception. Conclusions: Variation in FP services exists across COG. Discussion of infertility risk is not universal. The availability of OTC at treating institutions is limited. The presence of an FP navigator/team is a modifiable factor associated with greater likelihood of accessing SOC and experimental options. Despite conflicting evidence and lack of endorsement from professional societies, GnRHa’s are commonly used for FP. These survey results suggest FP services remain inadequate but highlight opportunities for improvement and areas of needed research.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2019 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Symptoms and Survivorship

Track

Symptom Science and Palliative Care

Sub Track

Late and Long-Term Adverse Effects

Citation

J Clin Oncol 37, 2019 (suppl; abstr 11567)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2019.37.15_suppl.11567

Abstract #

11567

Poster Bd #

259

Abstract Disclosures

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