Toronto – A team of researchers from Israel have developed a treatment to extract, mature and preserve eggs from young female cancer patients who need chemotherapy.
Although the cancer cure rates are often considered good, the harsh chemotherapy can leave young girls sterile.
Currently eggs can be harvested from mature women who need chemotherapy, but few options are available for young girls.
Researchers managed to extract eggs from girls 5 to 10 years-old and then mature them in a lab.
Dr Ariel Revel, from Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, said that they do not know whether the preserved eggs will result in future pregnancies, but they were encouraged by the results so far.
“No eggs have yet been thawed, so we do not know whether pregnancies will result,” said Revel. “But we are encouraged by our results so far, particularly the young ages of the patients from whom we have been able to collect eggs.”
The harvested eggs are now in liquid nitrogen in hopes to persevere them for future use said Revel.
1 comment for Fertility hope for young cancer patients »
Leave a comment
Please note that all comments are moderated. Your comment will be published if it is approved
Gentlemen:
Groucho Marx once said to Harpo upon the birth of his tenth child: ” I love my cigar but I take it out of my mouth once in a while?” Global warming and 6.66 billion? You do the math!
PS: Harpo adopted four children in his real life.
Comment by Jonathan — July 2, 2007 @ 12:42 pm