Especially after hearing from my staff (who atttended the annual Young Survivors Conference in Dallas last month ) about the mix of hope and anguish that young women with cancer express about their future motherhood, it was reassuring to see the very popular TV show, Grey's Anatomy, work the forethought of fertility preservation into a current, compelling storyline.
A young woman must undergo intense and immediate treatments for invasive cancer. Her colleagues and friends think ahead for her and automatically include the OB team in her treatment plan.
In this related scene, the cancer patient's boyfriend reveals the understandable and expected emotions involved as people struggle to muster hope amid fears:
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Men, Infertility, & Cancer
A large study published in February's Archives of Internal Medicine links testicular cancer to men who are seeking fertility treatment.
The researchers analyzed data from over 22,500 men in couples who sought fertility treatment between 1967 and 1998. After comparing against cancer registry data, the study authors concluded that the men were 1.3 times more likely to develop testicular cancer, and that those with male factor infertility were 2.8 times more likely.
Rather than believe that infertility treatment is the culprit, the researchers feel it's more plausible that the men have something else in common, for example, exposure to certain environmental toxins or faulty DNA repair, that increases their risks of both infertility and cancer.
There are times when seeking a diagnosis for fertility problems can result in other seemingly unrelated health conditions turning up. This study is another example of how a body's reproductive function can sometimes serve as a red flag indicator for overall health.
The researchers analyzed data from over 22,500 men in couples who sought fertility treatment between 1967 and 1998. After comparing against cancer registry data, the study authors concluded that the men were 1.3 times more likely to develop testicular cancer, and that those with male factor infertility were 2.8 times more likely.
Rather than believe that infertility treatment is the culprit, the researchers feel it's more plausible that the men have something else in common, for example, exposure to certain environmental toxins or faulty DNA repair, that increases their risks of both infertility and cancer.
There are times when seeking a diagnosis for fertility problems can result in other seemingly unrelated health conditions turning up. This study is another example of how a body's reproductive function can sometimes serve as a red flag indicator for overall health.
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