Oncofertility Fertility Preservation for Cancer Survivors

It has been our pleasure to edit the first book on an interdisciplinary science we call oncofertility. Oncofertility bridges traditional areas of basic science and medical research, brings together oncologists and fertility specialists, and hopes to provide real options to young people who survive life-preserving but fertility-threatening treatments for cancer. The chapters in this book range from basic discovery research to reproductive medicine and from social science and the humanities to a section on stories from those who have survived cancer and have faced issues of fertility deprivation or restoration. Specifically, we have addressed three main areas: the underlying biological questions surrounding follicle growth and cryo-preservation of tissue; the application of the new technology to medical practice; and, the psychosocial implications of cancer-related infertility and oncofertility research for patients and their families. These questions are interlinking and require teams of investigators working in concert to solve a major unmet need. The book is a comprehensive initial definition of the field and we anticipate a great many more breakthroughs that will eventually provide a menu of options to those with fertility-threatening conditions. The editors thank the Specialized Cooperative Centers Program in Reproduction and Infertility Research (U54 HD041857) and the Institute for Women’s Health Research of Northwestern University for funding and support of this book. Teresa K.