Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON.
Curr Oncol. 2013 Oct;20(5):e465-74. doi: 10.3747/co.20.1361.
Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis. In particular, malignancy and its indicated treatments have profoundly negative effects on the fertility of young cancer patients. Oncofertility has emerged as a new interdisciplinary field to address the issue of gonadotoxicity associated with cancer therapies and to facilitate fertility preservation. In Canada, these fertility issues are often inadequately addressed despite the availability of resources. The goal of this four-part series is to facilitate systemic improvements in fertility preservation for adolescent and young adult Canadians with a new diagnosis of cancer.
Here, we describe the services currently available in Canada and the challenges associated with their utilization. Finally, we outline strategies to help maximize and facilitate fertility preservation in the young cancer patient.
Despite an existing infrastructure to the oncofertility system in Canada, the ability of that system's components to function together and to coordinate patient care is a challenge. Areas of weakness include poor access and referral to fertility services, a lack of readily available education for patients and health care providers, and inconsistent interdisciplinary coordination in patient care.
The implementation of a framework for multidisciplinary resource allocation, education, patient referral, and established lines of communication may facilitate a functional oncofertility system in Canada.
癌症可能是一个毁灭性的诊断。特别是恶性肿瘤及其治疗方法对年轻癌症患者的生育能力有深远的负面影响。肿瘤生育学作为一个新的跨学科领域应运而生，旨在解决癌症治疗相关的性腺毒性问题，并促进生育力保存。在加拿大，尽管有资源，但这些生育问题往往得不到充分解决。本系列共四部分的目的是为新诊断为癌症的青少年和年轻成年加拿大人提供生育力保存方面的系统改善。
在这里，我们描述了加拿大目前提供的服务以及使用这些服务所面临的挑战。最后，我们概述了帮助最大限度地提高和促进年轻癌症患者生育力保存的策略。
尽管加拿大的肿瘤生育系统已经存在基础设施，但该系统各个组成部分的协同运作和协调患者护理的能力仍然是一个挑战。薄弱环节包括获取和转介到生育服务的机会有限、患者和医疗保健提供者缺乏现成的教育资源，以及患者护理中缺乏一致的跨学科协调。
实施多学科资源分配、教育、患者转介和既定沟通渠道的框架，可以促进加拿大肿瘤生育学系统的功能。
