Ovary Transplanted to Arm Preserves Fertility

Transplanting an ovary to the upper arm is feasible and preserves hormonal function in women undergoing treatment for cervical cancer, according to a study published in the November 8, 2004, online edition of Cancer.

Although chemotherapy and radiation improve survival and cure rates for women with cervical cancer, such treatments can also cause permanent ovarian failure and infertility during a woman's reproductive years. Cryopreservation of embryos has been successful but there has been no successful cryopreservation or transplantation of oocytes or primordial follicles, necessary for future fertility.

In this second human trial, C. Hilders, M.D., Ph.D., and a gynecologic surgical team at Leiden University Hospital (The Netherlands) developed a new method of autotransplantation to preserve ovarian function in women treated for cervical cancer. This method does not require developing a donor site with an implant over several months, and utilizes a donor site that is easily accessible to noninvasive monitoring and has suitable vasculature.

The team autotransplanted a healthy ovary into the upper arm of a patient, using brachial vessels to establish blood supply, which resulted in a functional ovary. Blood to and from the ovary was adequate to maintain cyclical follicular growth as verified by ultrasound and clinical examination. Moreover, the surgery did not result in additional operating time.

"It seems likely that ovarian autotransplantation will be a realistic goal to achieve for a woman facing cancer, treated by high-dose pelvic radiation, to preserve reproductive and hormonal function, thereby substantially improving the quality of life post-treatment,” concluded the authors.




Related Links:
Leiden U. Hospital