Cancer Survivors

Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy in young men. Fortunately, current treatment protocols have resulted in a cure rate of over 80%. It’s important that your cancer doctors talk to you and your partner about preserving your fertility before undergoing treatment. Dr. Kuang at the Southwest Fertility Center for Men can help.

Testicular Cancer and Infertility

Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy in young men (24-34 years old), and the incidence has been rising worldwide over the last four decades. Fortunately, current treatment protocols have resulted in a cure rate of over 80%. With excellent long-term survivorship, secondary issues such as fertility are of growing importance with testicular cancer afflicting men in the prime of their reproductive years. In the largest series to date, fertility in these men decreases by 30% after treatment. Recent investigations show that 36-50% of men who receive chemotherapy will be oligospermic (too few sperm) or azoospermic (no sperm at all) at one year of follow-up. Fortunately despite the unfavorable effects on sperm production, some men are able to regain their fertility to various extents, and 43% are able to conceive after receiving testicular cancer treatment.

With this said, some men are unable to regain the level of fertility that they had before their treatment. As a result, it is incredibly important that your cancer doctors talk to you and your partner about preserving your fertility before undergoing treatment. Dr. Kuang at the Southwest Fertility Center for Men is more than happy to be a part of your treatment team and to help you as you face the challenges of battling cancer.

Fertile Hope – Cancer and Fertility Information and Resources

Mission

Founded in October 2001, Fertile Hope is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients and survivors whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.

The organization was founded by cancer survivor Lindsay Nohr Beck as a result of her own endeavors to preserve her fertility in the face of critical cancer treatments. For more information about Lindsay, please read the Founder’s Note.

Fertile Hope is a non-profit organization headquartered in New York City.

Programs and Services

The permanent changes in reproductive function are now recognized as one of the most prevalent side effects of cancer therapy. Over the past three decades cancer fighting treatments including chemotherapy, radiation and surgery have led to major advances in the cure rates of various malignancies occurring during the reproductive years, but all have the potential to cause permanent infertility. While several successful fertility preservation options are available, they are underutilized due to a general lack of awareness, education and financial resources. Thus, a large and growing number of patients need help today.

Fertile Hope is dedicated to helping these patients through programs and services in the following five areas:

Awareness

Increase awareness of fertility risks and preservation options among medical, patient and lay communities.

Education

Provide credible, accurate educational resources to enable educated medical advice and patient decisions.

Financial Assistance

Provide fertility preservation financial assistance options for patients whose medical treatments threaten reproductive function.

Research

Advance fertility preservation technologies through research grants.

Support

Provide support to help patients cope with the physical and emotional issues associated with infertility, fertility preservation, assisted reproduction, family planning, genetic counseling, pregnancy, adoption and other related issues.