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Fertility Preservation in Pediatric Solid Tumors: A Report from the Children’s Oncology Group
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  • Kari Bjornard,
  • Allison Close,
  • Karen Burns,
  • Josuah Chavez,
  • Eric Chow,
  • Lillian Meacham
Kari Bjornard
Indiana University Department of Pediatrics

Corresponding Author:kbjornar@iu.edu

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Allison Close
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
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Karen Burns
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute
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Josuah Chavez
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
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Eric Chow
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
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Lillian Meacham
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Inc Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
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Abstract

Treatment for childhood solid tumors may lead to an increased risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility. Discussion of risk should occur at diagnosis, any changes in therapy, and during survivorship. Gonadotoxic therapies were abstracted from 32 Children’s Oncology Group (COG) phase III, frontline solid tumor protocols, in use from 2000-2022. Risk for gonadal dysfunction/infertility was assessed based on gonadotoxic therapies, sex, and pubertal status and assigned as minimal, significant, and high following the Oncofertility Consortium Pediatric Initiative Network (PIN) risk stratification. Most protocols (65.6%, 21/32) contained at least one therapeutic arm with a high level of increased risk. Solid tumor therapies present challenges in risk stratification due to response-adjusted therapy and the need to account for radiation field in the risk assessment. This guide hopes to serve as a tool to assist in standardizing gonadotoxic risk assessments across disciplines and improve referral for fertility services and reproductive health counseling for patients receiving COG based solid tumor therapy.
15 Nov 2023Submitted to Pediatric Blood & Cancer
15 Nov 2023Submission Checks Completed
15 Nov 2023Assigned to Editor
15 Nov 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
15 Nov 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Jan 2024Submission Checks Completed
29 Jan 2024Assigned to Editor
12 Feb 20241st Revision Received
13 Feb 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Feb 2024Editorial Decision: Accept