Definition - What does Oncofertility mean?
Oncofertility is the field of medicine that works to expand the fertility potential of young people with cancer. The name of the field is based on an amalgamation of the two individual fields: oncology, the treatment of cancer, and fertility, the treatment of reproduction.
Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and certain medications, can cause irreparable damage to the body’s reproductive organs and conception potential. These treatments can harm a woman’s eggs, cause ovarian failure, or stimulate early menopause. Similar damage can occur in men, including the harm of sperm production or testosterone development.
Oncofertility is a rapidly advancing field. Additional preservation tactics are regularly tested in clinical trials and adopted into mainstream practice.