BACKGROUND: No studies have examined the fertility priorities of women undergoing treatment for their glioma. Glioma patients frequently undergo chemotherapy as part of their treatment; however, it is unknown whether patients truly are aware of its possible effects on their fertility. Our objective was to assess the fertility priorities of glioma patients and ascertain whether female glioma patients are being effectively counseled on the effects of chemotherapy on their fertility prior to beginning treatment. METHODS: The sample was composed of female patients from the Neuro-oncology clinic of the University of California, San Francisco. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey between October 2010 and December 2013 exploring their attitudes toward fertility and their experience with fertility counseling prior to chemotherapy initiation. RESULTS: Seventy-two women completed the survey. Analysis of the survey results showed that 30% of women receiving chemotherapy reported having a discussion regarding fertility preservation prior to beginning treatment. Of those who reported having this discussion, 80% were aware that chemotherapy could negatively affect their fertility. Many women reported that while fertility preservation was not important to them at the time of diagnosis, it was a priority for them at the time of survey completion. Although interest in having children tended to decrease after cancer treatment, the majority of respondents reported wanting a child after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in this study suggest a lack of understanding of reproductive priorities, which may be addressed with a more comprehensive fertility discussion prior to beginning treatment.
BACKGROUND: No studies have examined the fertility priorities of women undergoing treatment for their glioma. Glioma patients frequently undergo chemotherapy as part of their treatment; however, it is unknown whether patients truly are aware of its possible effects on their fertility. Our objective was to assess the fertility priorities of glioma patients and ascertain whether female glioma patients are being effectively counseled on the effects of chemotherapy on their fertility prior to beginning treatment. METHODS: The sample was composed of female patients from the Neuro-oncology clinic of the University of California, San Francisco. Participants completed a cross-sectional survey between October 2010 and December 2013 exploring their attitudes toward fertility and their experience with fertility counseling prior to chemotherapy initiation. RESULTS: Seventy-two women completed the survey. Analysis of the survey results showed that 30% of women receiving chemotherapy reported having a discussion regarding fertility preservation prior to beginning treatment. Of those who reported having this discussion, 80% were aware that chemotherapy could negatively affect their fertility. Many women reported that while fertility preservation was not important to them at the time of diagnosis, it was a priority for them at the time of survey completion. Although interest in having children tended to decrease after cancer treatment, the majority of respondents reported wanting a child after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained in this study suggest a lack of understanding of reproductive priorities, which may be addressed with a more comprehensive fertility discussion prior to beginning treatment.
Authors: Lisa B Signorello; Sarah S Cohen; Cristina Bosetti; Marilyn Stovall; Catherine E Kasper; Rita E Weathers; John A Whitton; Daniel M Green; Sarah S Donaldson; Ann C Mertens; Leslie L Robison; John D Boice Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 2006-10-18 Impact factor: 13.506
Authors: B Thewes; B Meiser; A Taylor; K A Phillips; S Pendlebury; A Capp; D Dalley; D Goldstein; R Baber; M L Friedlander Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2005-08-01 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Roger Stupp; Warren P Mason; Martin J van den Bent; Michael Weller; Barbara Fisher; Martin J B Taphoorn; Karl Belanger; Alba A Brandes; Christine Marosi; Ulrich Bogdahn; Jürgen Curschmann; Robert C Janzer; Samuel K Ludwin; Thierry Gorlia; Anouk Allgeier; Denis Lacombe; J Gregory Cairncross; Elizabeth Eisenhauer; René O Mirimanoff Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2005-03-10 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Roger Stupp; Monika E Hegi; Warren P Mason; Martin J van den Bent; Martin J B Taphoorn; Robert C Janzer; Samuel K Ludwin; Anouk Allgeier; Barbara Fisher; Karl Belanger; Peter Hau; Alba A Brandes; Johanna Gijtenbeek; Christine Marosi; Charles J Vecht; Karima Mokhtari; Pieter Wesseling; Salvador Villa; Elizabeth Eisenhauer; Thierry Gorlia; Michael Weller; Denis Lacombe; J Gregory Cairncross; René-Olivier Mirimanoff Journal: Lancet Oncol Date: 2009-03-09 Impact factor: 41.316
Authors: Wassim Chemaitilly; Ann C Mertens; Pauline Mitby; John Whitton; Marilyn Stovall; Yutaka Yasui; Leslie L Robison; Charles A Sklar Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2006-02-21 Impact factor: 6.134
Authors: Charles A Sklar; Ann C Mertens; Pauline Mitby; John Whitton; Marilyn Stovall; Catherine Kasper; Jean Mulder; Daniel Green; H Stacy Nicholson; Yutaka Yasui; Leslie L Robison Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 2006-07-05 Impact factor: 11.816
Authors: Taylor Nordan; Ann M Thomas; Elizabeth S Ginsburg; Patrick Y Wen; Andrey V Dolinko; Pietro Bortoletto Journal: J Neurooncol Date: 2020-02-14 Impact factor: 4.130
Authors: Kee Kiat Yeo; Darcy E Burgers; Katelynn Brodigan; Karen Fasciano; A Lindsay Frazier; Katherine E Warren; David A Reardon Journal: Neurooncol Pract Date: 2021-02-18