Mitigating the Risk: The Role of Ovarian Transposition and Medical Suppression

During the past 25 years, advances in reproductive medicine have led to the development of novel techniques that give cancer patients who are facing impending sterility an opportunity to bear biological offspring. However, the availability and expense of some fertility preservation methods have limited their universality and, therefore, patient access. By contrast, ovarian transposition prior to radiation therapy and treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) coincident with gonadotoxic chemotherapy are relatively simple and inexpensive techniques that are readily available. Despite their accessibility, variable success rates have limited their widespread acceptance. In this chapter, we present up-to-date information on these two potential fertility preservation options.