• Testicular Tissue Freezing - an outpatient procedure than can be done before or after cancer treatments.  Testicular tissue is surgically removed and frozen for future use.  This method is considered experimental, with no live births as yet, but may be the best possible option for pre-prubescent boys.  It is only available at a few centers in the U.S., and cost varies.  A few centers may be doing research studies that pay for costs.
• Testicular Shielding - the use of shielding to reduce the dose of radiation delivered to te testes may be discussed with a physician. Radiation shielding does not protect against chemotherapy, but is another possibe option for protecting the testes of pre-pubertal boys.  The cost is usually included with the radiation treatment. 

For further information on Fertility Preservation options for men, women and children, please Click here to view our Fertility Preservation 101 booklet online. Click on the picture of the booklet on the right. Click here to access previous issues of Fertility Preservation 101.

• Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation - the main Fertility Preservation option for pre-pubescent girls.  Through a laparoscopic procedure, a small piece of the ovary, which is rich in follicles containing immature eggs, is removed.  This biopsy specimen is then frozen for the patient's future use.  This method offers the advantages of limited treatment delay, no requirement of a sperm source, no hormonal stimulation required, and ovarian tissue can be retrieved from pre-pubescent girls even as young as a few months old. When the patient is ready to have a family, the ovarian tissue may be thawed and re-implanted, with the hope that it will produce mature eggs from which pregnancy can occur.  A second potential use is to attempt to grow the ovarian tissue in an in-vitro environment, and harvest mature oocytes (eggs) for fertilization and embryo production, followed by transfer of the embryos to the female.  This approach is currently being stuidied by the Oncofertility Consortium at Northwestern University.  Both of these processes are considered experimental, but there have been multiple reported births from the use of cryopreserved ovarian tissue followed by re-implantation, worldwide.  The costs to collect and freeze ovarian tissue are in the $10,000-15,000 range for the procedure.  In some patients, it can be done as part of another necessary surgery so that most of the cost is covered by insurance.  Storage and shipping fees may also apply.
• Ovarian Transposition - outpatient surgical procedure (usually laparoscopic) where the ovaries are moved higher in the abdomen away from the radiation field to minimize exposure and damage.
• Radical Trachelectomy -  option for cervical cancer patients. The cervix is removed, and the uterus preserved. Although most women are diagnosed with cervical cancer after puberty, this procedure can be performed on pre-pubescent girls. Radical trachelectomy is considered experimental, and the success rate is not known. The costs of both ovarian transposition and radical trachelectomy are hard to estimate, but both can sometimes be done as part of another necessary surgery so that most of the cost is covered by insurance.
• Ovarian Shielding - the use of shielding to reduce the dose of radiation delivered to the ovaries amy be discussed with a physician.  Radiation shielding does not protect against chemotherapy, but it is an effective strategy to prevent damage due to radiation. The cost is usually included with the radiation treatment.

For further information on Fertility Preservation options for men, women and children, please Click here to view our Fertility Preservation 101 booklet online. Click on the picture of the booklet on the right. Click here to access previous issues of Fertility Preservation 101.