Noelle Ozimek* and Leslie Appiah
As advancements in cancer treatment such as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) continue to improve the survival rates of pediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancers, a growing number of survivors are living to their reproductive years. Many of these patients will experience the adverse impact that oncology care can have on reproductive potential such as infertility, gonadal insufficiency, genital graftversus- host disease, uterine injury, psychosexual dysfunction and increased risks of breast and cervical cancer. Termed Late Effects (LE), these concerns may greatly impact patients’ quality-of-life post-treatment and are therefore an essential component of developing comprehensive cancer treatment plans. There is expert consensus on how to screen for, prevent and treat many of the aforementioned LEs, however the recommended practices are rarely executed. As with other topics in oncofertility, educating providers and establishing standardized workflows which encourage interdisciplinary collaborations will go a long way towards widespread improvements in the quality of reproductive care offered to patients who receive HSCT. Here, we offer suggestions on how to promote the implementation of new and established standards of reproductive healthcare for young patients who receive HSCT and related treatments.
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Journal of Blood & Lymph received 443 citations as per Google Scholar report
