Moving beyond the uncertainties of risk, and limited, often difficult, preservation options, will require consensus and collaborative research
The remarkable cure rates achieved in childhood cancer mean that large numbers of survivors are currently among the young adult population. However, the treatment that has achieved this success may have adverse effects in many organ systems, including the reproductive organs. These adverse effects may result from the impact of cytotoxic chemotherapy (alkylating drugs such as cyclophosphamide, iphosphamide, procarbazine and busulfan, in particular) on gametogenesis, from radiation damage to the gonads, or from radiation delivered to the hypothalamic–pituitary axis.
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- 1 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- 2 Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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