Toyama University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center 

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Pediatrics, AYA Generation, and Fertility Center

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Pediatrics, AYA Generation, and Fertility Center

In recent years, advances in cancer therapy have made it possible to live with cancer. This is likewise true for pediatric or adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. However, there is a possibility that cancer treatments may cause reduced ovarian or testicular function, which could lead to decreased or lost fertility (the ability to have children in the future). It is critical to take patients’ life plans into consideration when selecting a therapy: prioritizing cancer treatment, but with an eye on that treatment’s effects on patient fertility.

Decision-Making Support for Therapy Selection

Previously, there was nowhere in Toyama Prefecture that could provide supplemental information on how pediatric and AYA cancer patients could remain able to have children in the future, alongside their cancer treatment. Our primary goal is to provide information prior to cancer treatment, to patients who have concerns or worries about having children after developing cancer, or who wish to preserve their fertility. We not only provide this sort of medical information, but also refer patients to other facilities that would be able to preserve their fertility. Preservation of fertility involves various factors, including patient gender, age, marital status, cancer status, treatment specifics, and time to treatment. For this reason, it is necessary to have discussions before the start of treatment; depending on the condition of the patient, it might not be feasible to preserve the patient’s fertility. By collaborating with oncologists from various fields, reproductive medicine specialists, nurses, and other medical professionals, we provide patients with the support they need to make better choices regarding their fertility, without delaying the start of cancer treatment.

Building the Toyama Prefecture Cancer and Reproductive Medicine Network

The Toyama Prefecture Cancer and Reproductive Medicine Network is still brand new. It has been said that there are regional disparities in this field, and that Toyama Prefecture has been lagging behind in providing support. One project, Promotion of Equal Access to Medical Services for Children, Adolescent and Young Adult (CAYA) Cancer Patients with Reproductive Problems — A Nationwide Expansion of the Regional Oncofertility Network in Japan, has begun to build a network and maintain an environment for pediatric and AYA cancer patients in Japan. Therefore, we at the Pediatrics, AYA Generation, and Fertility Center serve to coordinate medical facilities in Toyama Prefecture, and we have established the Toyama Cancer and Reproductive Medicine Network to promote cooperation between cancer treatment and reproductive medicine within the prefecture. In addition to collaborating closely with oncologists, and with the obstetricians and gynecologists who provide reproductive medicine, we will also build a system to provide both psychological and social support through professionals across a multitude of professions, including nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, genetic counselors, and counselors.

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