Ovarian transplant after cancer a success

LONDON: Ovary transplants can save the fertility of cancer patients and lead to successful pregnancies, according to a study.

Almost a third of women who were followed for up to 10 years after the procedure – and wanted a baby – had at least one child.

Scientists said their findings show those who have the tissue removed, stored and put back in at a later date, have a good chance of conceiving.

It has been suggested that the transplant could also be used to delay menopause for career women wanting to have babies later in life.

Dr Annette Jensen, of Copenhagen hospital Rigshospitalet, said: “Many girls and young women who have been diagnosed with a disease such as cancer now have a realistic hope of recovery… but the treatment for their disease can cause infertility by damaging the functioning of their ovaries.

“As techniques for removing, freezing, storing and then transplanting ovarian tissue have developed, fertility preservation is increasingly becoming an integral part of treatment. However, as ovarian transplantation is still in its early days, its efficacy and safety needs to be investigated.”

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, reviewed 53 transplants of thawed ovarian tissue among 41 Danish women and showed it can last at least 10 years. There also appeared to be little risk of the disease returning. – Daily Mail