About this Research Topic
Fertility Preservation is an emerging discipline which aims to preserve the reproductive potential of young patients facing fertility threatening challenges due to several oncologic and non-oncologic conditions. The most common types of cancer that necessitate prior fertility preservation measures include leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system, breast, cervix, ovary, testis and sarcoma. This is in part, due to the potential need for aggressive gonadotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Non-oncologic conditions affecting fertility include several autoimmune and hematological diseases, chromosomal abnormalities, rare syndromes, some benign and borderline tumors, transgenders, patients with disorders of sex development (DSDs), and other patients undergoing gonadectomy. Pediatric, adolescent, and young adult populations may face such fertility threatening challenges, and therefore they should be offered age-appropriate fertility preservation strategies immediately when fertility risks are detected or expected.
Due to recent advances in biomedical research and practice, fertility preservation procedures such as cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue have become increasingly available to patients in many countries around the globe. However, further research is still needed for better validation, optimization, and standardization of such procedures in a way that best serves patients. Updated outcome and long-term follow-up data, both in animal models and humans, for cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue is needed. Setting up fertility preservation programs with appropriate patient navigation and referral systems as well as patient support and advocacy groups should be encouraged especially in regions and countries that have limited resources.
The Topic Editors welcome all types of manuscripts that discuss, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Original research investigating advances to preserve and restore fertility in oncologic and non-oncologic patients.
- Updated outcome and long-term follow-up data, both in animal models and humans, for cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue.
- Setting up a fertility preservation program with appropriate patient navigation and referral systems as well as patient support and advocacy groups.
- Best practice guidelines to consider for fertility preservation programs, including indications, for both oncologic and non-oncologic patients from different age and sex groups.
- Fertility restoration counseling and possible non-surgical and surgical procedures including re-transplantation of cryopreserved gonadal tissue.
Due to recent advances in biomedical research and practice, fertility preservation procedures such as cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue have become increasingly available to patients in many countries around the globe. However, further research is still needed for better validation, optimization, and standardization of such procedures in a way that best serves patients. Updated outcome and long-term follow-up data, both in animal models and humans, for cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue is needed. Setting up fertility preservation programs with appropriate patient navigation and referral systems as well as patient support and advocacy groups should be encouraged especially in regions and countries that have limited resources.
The Topic Editors welcome all types of manuscripts that discuss, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Original research investigating advances to preserve and restore fertility in oncologic and non-oncologic patients.
- Updated outcome and long-term follow-up data, both in animal models and humans, for cryopreservation of gametes and gonadal tissue.
- Setting up a fertility preservation program with appropriate patient navigation and referral systems as well as patient support and advocacy groups.
- Best practice guidelines to consider for fertility preservation programs, including indications, for both oncologic and non-oncologic patients from different age and sex groups.
- Fertility restoration counseling and possible non-surgical and surgical procedures including re-transplantation of cryopreserved gonadal tissue.
Keywords: fertility preservation, Fertility Restoration, Cancer, Oncofertility, Non-Oncologic Patients, Cryopreservation, Transplantation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
