Fertility Preservation Research Unit Research Overview

Dr. Ginberg's work is focused on preserving fertility in cancer survivors. Fertility is an important long-term quality of life issue for childhood cancer survivors as they reach young adulthood. Impaired fertility can be an unwanted consequence of some of the modalities used to treat pediatric cancer. Certain chemotherapy agents as well as radiation therapy can result in infertility after therapy has ended.

Researchers at the Center for Childhood Cancer Research (CCCR), including Dr. Ginsberg, currently offer fertility preservation options to both prepubertal and pubertal males and females facing therapy that could impact their ability to have children in the future.

CHOP’s Fertility Preservation Team members counsel patients and families at the time of their cancer diagnosis and provide access to fertility preservation options such as sperm banking, egg freezing, and ovarian or testicular tissue harvesting. Some of these options are considered standard care but others are available only through research.

Experimental options for fertility preservation are now available, including ovarian and testicular tissue freezing. Through CHOP research protocols, a small piece of the testicle or ovary can be removed in the operating room and frozen for many years. At a later date, this tissue can be thawed and re-implanted to restore fertility. Exciting strides are being made, and there have been live births in humans using frozen ovarian tissue, although the numbers are very small.

Researchers from the CCCR are also studying patient and parent beliefs about fertility preservation and decision-making influences with a set of follow-up questionnaires that are administered two weeks after the fertility preservation procedure. Questions focus on perception of risk for infertility, previous knowledge of fertility preservation techniques, timing of the discussion with providers, and what factors influenced the decision-making process.

Data from this study will help oncologists have a better understanding of these core issues and will guide the timing and content of future discussions with patients and families.