Fertility preservation in female cancer patients: Surgical procedures

Abstract

The surgical management of cancer patients wishing fertility preservation is multidisciplinary, involving surgeon, anesthetist, hematologist, and nursing and laboratory staff. Many oncology patients have a multitude of medical or surgical conditions that require careful planning of all therapy including surgical removal of reproductive material, either oocytes or ovarian tissue. The significant risks related to either transvaginal or abdominal surgery should be discussed and documented and the final decision to proceed must be balanced against the risks, including death. Multidisciplinary communication for individual case management is the safeguard for patient safe return to cancer therapy.