Contents:
- Medical Video: Fertility Options for Young Male Cancer Patients
- After cancer treatment, the child may experience fertility problems
- Parents must check the reproductive health of children after cancer treatment
Medical Video: Fertility Options for Young Male Cancer Patients
At present, there have been many cases of child cancer that have been successfully cured. Although the child has succeeded in fighting cancer and undergoing good treatment, there are still many problems or health problems that he experienced after treatment. Yes, cancer treatment will usually cause short-term and long-term side effects that will affect your baby's development until he is an adult.
One health problem that is usually feared is reproductive problems. Many survivor (survivors) of cancer children who are afraid of the treatment they can make it difficult to have children. So, after cancer treatment, parents must check the reproductive health of your child.
After cancer treatment, the child may experience fertility problems
It's true, if cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can affect children's reproductive health. In several studies it was stated that the effects that occur vary depending on the type of treatment received. Some types of chemotherapy drugs that usually cause these side effects, namely:
- Cyclophosphamide (Neosar)
- Ifosfamide (Ifex)
- Procarbazine (Matulane)
- Busulfan (Busulfex, Myleran)
- Melphalan (Alkeran)
While radiation therapy will cause fertility problems if your child gets radiation in parts:
- Pelvis
- Stomach
- Spine
- Whole body
For girls, radiation in these parts of the body can cause damage to their ovaries and affect hormone production. In the end, the egg cells that will be produced are reduced or impaired During treatment, girls will usually stop menstrual periods.
While in boys, radiation therapy can also damage sperm and cause interference with the production of hormones. This certainly can affect fertility as adults.
Parents must check the reproductive health of children after cancer treatment
Because of this impact, it is important for parents to check the reproductive health of children after cancer treatment. This should be done after the cancer treatment has been completed.
Because, this can be a problem when he is an adult and will get married. By checking your little one from the beginning, then you will know whether indeed the side effects of cancer drugs affect or not on child fertility. If so, then the doctor will provide therapy so that your child will not experience infertility as an adult.
Possible treatment will be given if the child has reproductive problems after cancer treatment is:
- Hormone therapy to help produce hormones in boys and girls to return to normal.
- Ovarian transplant for girls.
- Freeze healthy eggs for girlsthis is usually done before treatment takes place.
- Store healthy sperm in a sperm bank for boys.
Sometimes, in some cases, this infertility problem cannot be treated or is permanent. If indeed this happens to your child, then you should start talking and give him an understanding of what happened to him. Expressing the real thing from the beginning, will make it easier for him to accept the situation that occurred.
