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Concerns about infertility risks among pediatric oncology patients and their parents
Author(s) -
Oosterhuis B. Elizabeth,
Goodwin Tress,
Kiernan Michaela,
Hudson Melissa M.,
Dahl Gary V.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.21261
Subject(s) - medicine , infertility , fertility , pediatric cancer , blood cancer , fertility preservation , pediatric oncology , regimen , pediatrics , cancer , cancer treatment , family medicine , pregnancy , population , environmental health , genetics , biology
Background Given pediatric cancer patients are living into adulthood, parents and patients need to be informed about fertility‐related side effects of their particular treatment. Procedure We surveyed 97 parents of pediatric patients of all ages as well as 37 adolescent patients of 14 years or older who were presented for care at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital (LPCH) at the Stanford University Medical Center. We estimated the potential infertility risk (low, intermediate, and high) based on the child's treatment regimen. Results In contrast to our hypothesis, the majority of parents in all three risk categories were concerned about fertility‐related side effects of cancer treatment. Many parents with children at low risk were concerned (58.3%) whereas not all parents with children at intermediate or high risk were concerned, 61.5% and 73.3% respectively, P = 0.43. Indeed, over 50% of all parents were erroneously concerned that cancer therapies cause DNA damage to their child's eggs (or sperm). Only 29.9% of parents were satisfied with the amount of information received. Similar patterns were seen among the adolescent patient sample. Conclusions Parents of pediatric cancer patients and teenage patients have concerns about fertility‐related side effects regardless of treatment received. Targeted education about infertility risk before and after treatment can address these gaps. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:85–89. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.