Ovarian protection before gonadotoxic therapy is a problem of oncology and reproductive medicine

Dmitrieva I.E., Nazarenko T.A., Khokhlova S.V.

Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow, Russia
Anticancer chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for cancers. Moreover, in addition to its high efficiency, the chemotherapy has a gonadotoxic effect that worsens quality of life in patients, most of whom are reproductive aged at the time of diagnosis. The review includes data from Russian and foreign articles published in the PubMed database over the past 5 years. To reduce the pathological effect of anticancer therapy on the ovaries, several categories of drugs (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, continuous oral contraceptives) are used. The efficacy of these drugs in preserving the reproductive and endocrine functions of the ovaries has not yet been proven. That is the reason that the search for new agents to protect the ovaries is now underway. The degree of damage to the ovarian reserve during treatment and the efficiency of ovarian protection are known to depend on many factors. Nevertheless, prescribing criteria and tactics have not been developed even for already existing drugs.
Conclusion. This scientific literature review shows that it is necessary to assess the clinical significance of the methods used to protect the ovaries and to elaborate new approaches.

Keywords

oncofertility
ovarian protection
fertility preservation

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Received 12.08.2020

Accepted 20.10.2020

About the Authors

Irina Ye. Dmitrieva, PhD candidate, V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology.
Tel.: +7(916)089-08-09. E-mail: nika06@inbox.ru. 4 Akademika Oparina str., Moscow, 117997, Russia.
Tatiana A. Nazarenko, Dr. Med. Sci., professor, Head of the Institute of Reproductive Medicine, V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology. Tel.: +7(985)998-74-12. E-mail: t_nazarenko@oparina4.ru. 4 Akademika Oparina str., Moscow, 117997, Russia.
Svetlana V. Khokhlova, Dr. Med. Sci., Head of the Oncology Department of Anticancer drug therapy, V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology. Tel.: +7(903)170-98-02. E-mail: s_hohlova@oparina4.ru. 4 Akademika Oparina str., Moscow, 117997, Russia. 13

For citation: Dmitrieva I.E., Nazarenko T.A., Khokhlova S.V. Ovarian protection before gonadotoxic therapy is a problem of oncology and reproductive medicine.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2020; 11: 13-19 (in Russian).
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.11.13-19

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