The Safety of Transplanting Cryopreserved Ovarian Tissue in Cancer Patients: a Review of the Literature

Overview

Journal J Assist Reprod Genet

Publisher Springer

Specialties Genetics
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2012 Dec 25

PMID 23263841

Citations 57

Authors

Mikkel Rosendahl

Tine Greve

Claus Yding Andersen

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Transplantation of frozen/thawed ovarian tissue from patients with a malignant condition is associated with a risk of re-introduction of the disease as the tissue usually is removed before anti-cancer therapy and may thus contain malignant cells. We review studies investigating the presence of malignant cells in cryopreserved ovarian tissue from patients with malignant disease and based on the strength of the evidence, recommendations for transplantations are proposed.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of the literature. All peer reviewed studies evaluating the presence of malignant cells in cryopreserved human ovarian tissue were included. Data were searched in Pubmed and Embase with no language restrictions.

Results: The majority of the reviewed papers were casuistic reports and few of the included papers were specifically designed to search for malignant cells. Ovarian tissue from 422 patients has been subject to testing for malignant cells by imaging, histology, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, animal- or clinical transplantation. In 31 (7 %) of the cases the applied test raised suspicion of malignant cell infiltration. No transplantation-related relapse of cancer has been reported after 33 transplantations of frozen/thawed ovarian cortex.

Conclusion: The quality and strength of the evidence is generally low and prospective studies are needed. The risk of re-introducing a malignant condition when transplanting ovarian tissue depends on the particular disease. Based on the available data, the risk was estimated: Leukaemia: HIGH. Gastrointestinal cancers: MODERATE. Breast cancer, sarcomas of the bone and connective tissue, gynaecological cancers, Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: LOW.

Citing Articles

Exploring the innovative application of cerium oxide nanoparticles for addressing oxidative stress in ovarian tissue regeneration.

Lakshmanan M, Saini M, Nune M J Ovarian Res. 2024; 17(1):241.

PMID: 39633503 PMC: 11619646. DOI: 10.1186/s13048-024-01566-2.

In vitro growth of secondary follicles from cryopreserved-thawed ovarian cortex.

Cheng H, Wei F, Del Valle J, Stolk T, Huirne J, Asseler J Hum Reprod. 2024; 39(12):2743-2753.

PMID: 39435626 PMC: 11630006. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae240.

New Insights on In Vitro Maturation of Oocytes for Fertility Preservation.

Gotschel F, Sonigo C, Becquart C, Sellami I, Mayeur A, Grynberg M Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(19).

PMID: 39408934 PMC: 11477201. DOI: 10.3390/ijms251910605.

Surgical Innovations to Protect Fertility from Oncologic Pelvic Radiation Therapy: Ovarian Transposition and Uterine Fixation.

Yazdani A, Sweterlitsch K, Kim H, Flyckt R, Christianson M J Clin Med. 2024; 13(18).

PMID: 39337064 PMC: 11432366. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13185577.

Encapsulation of Bovine Primordial Follicles in Rigid Alginate Does Not Affect Growth Dynamics.

McElhinney K, Rowell E, Laronda M Bioengineering (Basel). 2024; 11(7).

PMID: 39061816 PMC: 11273846. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering11070734.

References

Seshadri T, Gook D, Lade S, Spencer A, Grigg A, Tiedemann K . Lack of evidence of disease contamination in ovarian tissue harvested for cryopreservation from patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and analysis of factors predictive of oocyte yield. Br J Cancer. 2006; 94(7):1007-10. PMC: 2361234. DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6603050. View

Oktay K . Spontaneous conceptions and live birth after heterotopic ovarian transplantation: is there a germline stem cell connection?. Hum Reprod. 2006; 21(6):1345-8. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/del007. View

Bigorie V, Morice P, Duvillard P, Antoine M, Cortez A, Flejou J . Ovarian metastases from breast cancer: report of 29 cases. Cancer. 2009; 116(4):799-804. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24807. View

Dolmans M, Marinescu C, Saussoy P, Van Langendonckt A, Amorim C, Donnez J . Reimplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia is potentially unsafe. Blood. 2010; 116(16):2908-14. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2010-01-265751. View

Radford J, Lieberman B, Brison D, Smith A, Critchlow J, Russell S . Orthotopic reimplantation of cryopreserved ovarian cortical strips after high-dose chemotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lancet. 2001; 357(9263):1172-5. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(00)04335-x. View

Silber S, Derosa M, Pineda J, Lenahan K, Grenia D, Gorman K . A series of monozygotic twins discordant for ovarian failure: ovary transplantation (cortical versus microvascular) and cryopreservation. Hum Reprod. 2008; 23(7):1531-7. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/den032. View

Silber S . Ovary cryopreservation and transplantation for fertility preservation. Mol Hum Reprod. 2011; 18(2):59-67. DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gar082. View

Demeestere I, Simon P, Moffa F, Delbaere A, Englert Y . Birth of a second healthy girl more than 3 years after cryopreserved ovarian graft. Hum Reprod. 2010; 25(6):1590-1. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deq096. View

Perrotin F, Marret H, Bouquin R, Lansac J, Body G . [Incidence, diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian metastasis in breast cancer]. Gynecol Obstet Fertil. 2001; 29(4):308-15. DOI: 10.1016/s1297-9589(01)00131-x. View

10.

Bittinger S, Nazaretian S, Gook D, Parmar C, Harrup R, Stern C . Detection of Hodgkin lymphoma within ovarian tissue. Fertil Steril. 2010; 95(2):803.e3-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.07.1068. View

11.

Horvath T, Schindler A . [Ovarian metastases in breast carcinoma]. Fortschr Med. 1977; 95(6):358-60. View

12.

Khan M, Dahill S, STEWART K . Primary Hodgkin's disease of the ovary. Case report. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1986; 93(12):1300-1. DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1986.tb07870.x. View

13.

Rosendahl M, Andersen C, Ernst E, Westergaard L, Rasmussen P, Loft A . Ovarian function after removal of an entire ovary for cryopreservation of pieces of cortex prior to gonadotoxic treatment: a follow-up study. Hum Reprod. 2008; 23(11):2475-83. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/den248. View

14.

Demeestere I, Simon P, Buxant F, Robin V, Fernandez S, Centner J . Ovarian function and spontaneous pregnancy after combined heterotopic and orthotopic cryopreserved ovarian tissue transplantation in a patient previously treated with bone marrow transplantation: case report. Hum Reprod. 2006; 21(8):2010-4. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/del092. View

15.

Donnez J, Dolmans M, Demylle D, Jadoul P, Pirard C, Squifflet J . Livebirth after orthotopic transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue. Lancet. 2004; 364(9443):1405-10. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17222-X. View

16.

Amorim C, Dolmans M, David A, Jaeger J, Vanacker J, Camboni A . Vitrification and xenografting of human ovarian tissue. Fertil Steril. 2012; 98(5):1291-8.e1-2. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.07.1109. View

17.

Van Eyck A, Bouzin C, Feron O, Romeu L, Van Langendonckt A, Donnez J . Both host and graft vessels contribute to revascularization of xenografted human ovarian tissue in a murine model. Fertil Steril. 2009; 93(5):1676-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.04.048. View

18.

Oktay K, Turkcuoglu I, Rodriguez-Wallberg K . Four spontaneous pregnancies and three live births following subcutaneous transplantation of frozen banked ovarian tissue: what is the explanation?. Fertil Steril. 2010; 95(2):804.e7-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.07.1072. View

19.

Lotz L, Montag M, van der Ven H, von Wolff M, Mueller A, Hoffmann I . Xenotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue from patients with ovarian tumors into SCID mice--no evidence of malignant cell contamination. Fertil Steril. 2011; 95(8):2612-4.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.05.003. View

20.

Meirow D, Levron J, Eldar-Geva T, Hardan I, Fridman E, Zalel Y . Pregnancy after transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in a patient with ovarian failure after chemotherapy. N Engl J Med. 2005; 353(3):318-21. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc055237. View