Fertility After Chemo

From: Robert Cohen (robtcohen_at_aol.com.spam.no)
Date: 01/24/05 

Date: 24 Jan 2005 01:56:58 GMT

www.jerusalempost.com

copyrighted jerusalem post 2005

24 Jan 05

Israelis offer hope of fertility to young women with cancer
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
        
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A whole ovary removed from a sheep, frozen and defrosted by Israeli scientists
has for the first time maintained its potential for pregnancy, offering hope of
fertility to young women who undergo chemotherapy for cancer, which usually
destroys the fast-dividing ova.

The researchers - Dr. Ariel Revel of the department of obstetrics and
gynecology at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem at
the head; with Dr. Ami El-Ami of Hadassah's cardiothoracic surgery department
and Dr. Amir Arav of the Volcani Institute for Agricultural Research -
published details of their achievement in the latest issue of the prestigious
journal Fertility and Sterility. It also received prizes from the Israel and
American Fertility Societies.

The team believe that success in preserving whole human ovaries will be even
more successful. Until now, scientists have managed successfully to freeze and
defrost only tissues and cells from animal and human ovaries, but not whole
organs.

But the Israeli team's achievements make it possible for cryobiologists
(experts in freezing biological material) to work on whole, large and vital
organs.

The number of teenage girls and young women who undergo chemotherapy for cancer
is increasing, but a side effect is losing fertility. Thus the ability to
preserve the ability of ovaries to produce viable ova after chemotherapy has
been a focus of much research.

So far, three techniques have been available: Freezing young embryos (which is
the solution for most women); freezing whole ova (which can be problematic
because they can lose their viability after being defrosted); and freezing
slices of ovaries.

The first two techniques require giving hormonal therapy and removing ova over
a period of days - which could cause a dilemma if the cancer treatment must
begin urgently to save the woman's life. the third technique requires removing
the ovary surgically, cutting it into thin slices frozen in liquid nitrogen,
and after chemotherapy ends, reattaching the pieces in her body. This is a long
process that may cause, among other things, the loss of many ova.

Preserving a whole ovary, said Revel, "opens new avenues in preserving the
fertility of women undergoing chemotherapy and also for organ transplantation.
 
 
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