Moffitt Highlights Need for Physician Referral for Fertility Preservation in Oncology Patients

Research directly benefitting patients and citizens of Florida

Moffitt Highlights Need for Physician Referral for Fertility Preservation in Oncology Patients Research directly benefitting patients and citizens of Florida

In 2009, Gwendolyn Quinn, Ph.D., director of the Survey Methods Direct Benefit to State Core Facility and colleagues at the Moffitt Cancer Center examined Better training of physicians the referral practices of oncologists in the United States. Fertility is a and nurses on the topic of key aspect of quality of life for cancer patients of childbearing age. fertility preservation will Although cancer treatment may impair fertility, some patients may improve the quality of life for benefit from referral to a specialist before treatment. However, the Florida families majority of studies show that less than half of all patients receiving information or a referral for fertility preservation. Direct Benefit to Patient “This was an opportunity to learn from physicians about how to Improving the quality of life for prepare patients for survivorship and improve the patient-physician cancer survivors communication process,” said Quinn. “The science of fertility preservation has superseded our ability to understand the Moffitt’s contribution psychosocial and behavioral implications of fertility for cancer Led study that raised the issue patients and health care providers.” of fertility preservation among physicians and patients This study brought attention to the barriers oncologists and patients face in addressing fertility preservation and has led to further Research Area research. For example, the study led to a National Cancer Institute- Improving treatment decisions funded training grant in 2011 for Moffitt to develop a Fertility to improve quality of life Reproduction and Cancer Training Institute for Oncology Nursing. The team, led by Quinn, is developing a network of 250 trained nurse Further Reading specialists to implement the knowledge gained about reproductive Moffitt’s Fertility & Cancer health issues and cancer treatment, empower their patients to make Webpage: decisions about fertility, and ultimately improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncology December 2009, About Fertility and Cancer (PMID: 19826115) Cancer treatments may negatively affect a patient’s reproductive http://1.usa.gov/ZdkOjX ability. This means some cancer patients may be sterile or infertile after treatment. Fortunately, not all cancers or cancer treatment can impair fertility. But for many patients, when they are confronting the news of their diagnosis, they are also faced with making some big decisions about the possibility of having children in the future.

There are options to possibly preserve a patient’s fertility. Ideally, discussion about preserving fertility should take place before a patient begins cancer treatment. Moffitt has an on-site fertility preservation clinic in the Center for Women’s Oncology, the first of its kind in the state. The clinic underscores Moffitt’s commitment to address all of the patient’s needs – physical, emotional and psychosocial. Patients have the advantage of being able to see a fertility specialist in the same place where they are being treated for their cancer.