Polish Female Cancer Survivors' Experiences Related to Fertility Preservation Procedures

The aim of the study was to assess the experience of Polish female cancer patients related to fertility preservation (FP) after gonadotoxic treatment. A cross-sectional study was performed among young women, who were diagnosed with a neoplasm. The questionnaire was distributed via the Internet. The study group consisted of 299 women. Most of them had breast cancer (34%) or Hodgkin lymphoma (20%). The most popular treatment regimen was a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation (30%). Almost 78% of study participants underwent potentially gonadotoxic treatment. Fifty-seven percent of study participants admitted that oncologist had not informed them about FP methods, while only 19% were encouraged to visit fertility specialists. Seventeen percent of women decided to preserve fertility before malignancy treatment, 11.8% of women cryopreserved oocytes, 16% cryopreserved embryos, 16% cryopreserved ovarian tissue and 55% had ovarian suppression. The access to fertility counseling in Poland is limited. Emphasis should be placed on the coordination between cancer treatment centers and reproductive specialists.