Children who survive cancer may have fertility problems in later life, a new German study shows.
The research, published in the journal Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, was based on a nationwide survey of Germans who were treated for cancer in childhood and adolescence.
Researchers examined the health records of 2,754 participants – 1,476 of whom had been treated for leukemia and 1,278 for solid tumors. About 210 of the patients opted to have their fertility tested.
The study found between 25 percent and 30 percent of the patients to have fertility problems, while another 23 percent said that they and their partners had been unable to conceive a child despite at least 24 months of unprotected intercourse.
Lead researcher Magdalena Balcerek and her colleagues said the findings suggest patients and their parents be informed about possible fertility-preserving measures before being treated for cancer.