Fertility Preservation in Female Patients with Cancer. Part I: Challenges and Future Prospects in Developing Countries; A Narrative Review Study.

Abstract

While international guidelines on oncofertility practice have been published in developed countries, there is limited information available on oncofertility practice in developing countries, which often face limitations in their cancer health support networks. As survival rates improve in the field of cancer and other diseases, there is a growing need for stronger oncofertility services in developing countries. Given that 50% of cancer patients are under the age of 65, many of these patients are of reproductive age and preserving their fertility health prior to starting treatment is valuable. However, due to resource limitations and the heavy burden of treatment costs imposed on these patients and their families, fertility preservation (FP) may not be a top priority for them. As a result, many healthcare providers and their patients focus on eliminating cancer and its related treatments while overlooking the importance of fertility as a factor that can significantly impact their future quality of life. In this review, we have tried to increase the knowledge of healthcare providers involved in the oncofertility network by reviewing current cancer treatments, FP options in female cancer patients, and their challenges in developing countries.