Fertility and Cancer

by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

This booklet provides an overview of fertility and explains how blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma) and treatment for blood cancers can affect fertility. It discusses options to preserve fertility before treatment, such as the following for men: sperm banking (cryopreservation), electroejaculation, testicular sperm extraction (TESE), testicular shielding, testicular tissue cryopreservation (TTC), and the following options for women: egg or embryo cryopreservation (freezing), ovarian tissue freezing, ovarian transposition (oophoropexy), ovarian suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. It also discusses emerging techniques under study, such as artificial ovary, nanoparticles, and fertoprotective agents. In addition, it provides options for having a family after treatment and discusses other reproductive health issues. Other topics include: talking with members of your healthcare team, talking with a partner/spouse, dating/fertility, and financial support.