Thousands of children with cancer are being robbed of the chance to start a family ‘because doctors don’t tell them treatment may harm their fertility’
- The Teenage Cancer Trust quizzed 242 young patients for its new report
- Nearly a third were not told their fertility could be harmed by treatment
- Furthermore, 44% were not satisfied with the information they were given
Thousands of children with cancer are being robbed of the chance of ever having their own children, a charity has warned.
The Teenage Cancer Trust quizzed 242 young patients and found nearly a third were not told about how their fertility could be harmed by treatment.
Furthermore, 44 per cent were not satisfied with the information they were given, according to the results of the poll.
The Teenage Cancer Trust quizzed 242 young patients and found nearly a third were not told about how their fertility could be harmed by treatment
Louise Soanes, director of services at the Teenage Cancer Trust, described the shocking figures as being ‘unacceptable’.
She said: ‘Teenagers and young adults who have lived through cancer have had so much taken away from them already.
‘They should not lose the ability to start a family of their own too.
‘We’re calling for every young person with cancer to have their fertility options explained to them by a health professional.’
The charity is also calling for fully-funded access to sperm and egg freezing – which all NHS boards are urged to offer to young cancer patients.
However, individual CCGs make the final decision about who can access it in their local area, and their criteria may be stricter.
The Teenage Cancer Trust is also calling for mental health support before, during and after treatment for all young patients.
Guidelines from the NHS watchdog, Nice, say men and adolescent boys should be offered the chance to have their sperm frozen before cancer treatment.
The same recommendations urge doctors to offer all women of reproductive age the opportunity to freeze their eggs before starting treatment.
And Nice guidance also states all patients should discuss the impact of cancer and treatment on their fertility when they are diagnosed.
Around 1,600 new cases of cancer are diagnosed in children under the age of 15 every year in the UK, according to estimates by charities.
And incidence of cancer among 13 to 24 year olds has risen from 233.1 to 299.7 per million since 2001, the Teenage Cancer Trust says.
Some cancer treatments damage the cells that make sperm, which Macmillan says can lead to men producing less, or poorer quality, sperm.
Chemotherapy has the ability to stop the body from producing hormones required, while radiation has been found to damage the lining of the womb in some cases.