Abstract
e21587 Background: Oncofertility counseling is an essential part of the care for cancer patients with risk of infertility. In June 2016, our institution formally initiated a standardized program for fertility preservation, including nursing and physician education. After the first 7 months of functioning, we here examine the sperm banking rates amongst male cancer patients, and its variation respect previous years. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of men newly diagnosed with cancer at our institution. We assessed the rates of sperm banking amongst this patient population before the implementation of a standardized fertility preservation program, and again after: from January 2011 to May 2016 and from June 2016 to December 2016, respectively. Results: Sperm banking rate amongst male cancer patients before the initiation of the program was 3.3% (30 out of 902 patients). Along the 7 months after initiation of the program, rate of fertility preservation increased 6.2 folds, up to 20.6% (21 out of 102). Patients undergoing sperm banking through the fertility preservation program were aged 14 to 62 years old; mean ± standard deviation = 25.9± 6.9 years. Two of the patients were minors under care of Pediatric Oncology department. 76.7% of the samples (17 patients) were obtained by masturbation. In the other 4 patients, viable sperm could not be preserved from ejaculation, but it was successfully obtained by testicular or epidydimal sperm extraction. Conclusions: The initiation of a formal fertility preservation program at our institution quickly increased the rate of sperm banking; in more than 6 folds within its first 7 months of functioning. Oncofertility is an essential component of the care of oncologic patients in reproductive age or younger, and our results manifest the benefit of a standardized program at academic institutions. Counseling in fertility preservation should be offered to all patients at risk prior to initiation of oncologic treatment.
