A cancer diagnosis changes everything. The immediate focus shifts entirely to treatment, to survival, to what needs to happen now. In the urgency of that moment, the question of future fertility can feel almost impossible to raise, let alone plan for. And yet for many men and women of reproductive age who receive a cancer diagnosis, the possibility of having children in the future is something that matters enormously. The good news is that fertility preservation before cancer treatment is possible in the majority of cases, and when it is done well, it preserves options that would otherwise be lost.
At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, we provide dedicated oncofertility services for cancer patients across Electronic City, Hosur Road, Neeladri Nagar, and South Bengaluru. Our team works with urgency, sensitivity, and clinical expertise to ensure that every eligible patient has the opportunity to protect their fertility before treatment begins.
Why Cancer Treatment Threatens Fertility
The treatments that are most effective at destroying cancer cells, including chemotherapy, radiation, and certain surgical procedures, can also damage the cells responsible for fertility. The extent of that damage depends on the type of treatment, the specific agents used, the dose and duration, and the area of the body treated.
Chemotherapy exerts its anti-cancer effect by targeting rapidly dividing cells. Germ cells in the testicles and the primordial follicles in the ovaries are also rapidly dividing, making them vulnerable to the same cytotoxic effects. Alkylating agents including cyclophosphamide are among the most gonadotoxic chemotherapy drugs. The damage may be temporary, with fertility recovering months to years after treatment ends, or permanent, depending on the agents used and the dose received. There is no reliable way to predict in advance which patients will recover fertility after chemotherapy and which will not.
Radiation therapy to the pelvis, lower abdomen, or the brain in doses that affect the hypothalamic-pituitary axis can damage the gonads directly or disrupt the hormonal signals needed for normal reproductive function. Ovarian shielding and ovarian transposition, where the ovaries are surgically moved out of the radiation field, can reduce but not always eliminate the ovarian radiation dose.
Surgery involving the reproductive organs, including hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, radical prostatectomy, and orchidectomy, may directly remove all or part of the reproductive capacity.
Who Should Be Referred for Oncofertility Consultation
Any patient of reproductive age/adolescent/pre-pubertal who is about to begin cancer treatment that carries a risk of gonadal damage should be offered an oncofertility consultation before treatment starts. This includes:
- Women of any age from puberty to menopause who are about to receive chemotherapy, pelvic radiation, or surgery affecting the ovaries or uterus
- Men of any age from puberty onwards who are about to receive chemotherapy, pelvic radiation, or surgery affecting the testicles or reproductive tract
- Prepubertal girls for whom ovarian tissue preservation is the only currently available option
- Boys who have reached puberty and are able to produce a semen sample for freezing
The referral should happen as early as possible after the diagnosis and treatment plan are established, to allow the oncofertility team to assess the options available, discuss them with the patient, and complete any preservation procedure before the cancer treatment begins.
Fertility Preservation Options for Women
Egg freezing is the established first-line option for postpubertal women who have two to four weeks available before treatment must begin. An ovarian stimulation cycle is performed to collect as many mature eggs as possible, which are then vitrified and stored. The hormonal medications used are generally safe for most cancer types, though for hormone-sensitive cancers including certain breast cancers, modified stimulation protocols using letrozole alongside gonadotrophins can minimise oestrogen exposure during the stimulation phase.
Embryo freezing is available for women in a relationship or willing to use donor sperm, and produces slightly higher per-unit success rates than egg freezing as fertilisation has already occurred before freezing.
Ovarian tissue preservation is the only option for prepubertal girls and for women who need to begin cancer treatment immediately without time for an ovarian stimulation cycle. One ovary or a portion of ovarian tissue is removed laparoscopically, processed, and cryopreserved in strips for future reimplantation when the patient is ready to attempt pregnancy.
Ovarian transposition surgically moves one or both ovaries out of the planned radiation field before pelvic radiation, reducing but not eliminating the radiation dose received by the ovaries.
Fertility Preservation Options for Men
Sperm freezing is the simplest and most effective form of male fertility preservation and should be offered to every postpubertal male facing gonadotoxic treatment. A semen sample is produced through masturbation, assessed, and cryopreserved in multiple straws for future use in IUI, IVF, or ICSI. Multiple samples collected over several days build a larger stored reserve.
In males who cannot produce a semen sample by ejaculation, including those with retrograde ejaculation or anejaculation, sperm can be recovered before starting treatment by TESA or PESA and cryopreserved.
Coordinating with the Oncology Team
Fertility preservation in cancer patients requires close collaboration between the fertility team and the oncology team. The fertility team needs to understand the urgency of starting cancer treatment and the safety of any delay. The oncology team needs confidence that fertility preservation is being pursued efficiently and will not compromise the cancer treatment plan.
At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, this coordination is facilitated by our position within the KIMS Hospital network, where oncology, haematology, and fertility services communicate directly. Patients referred for oncofertility consultation are seen immediately or on the same day, and the fertility preservation procedure is scheduled to fit within the available window before cancer treatment begins.
The Emotional Dimension
Receiving a cancer diagnosis and being asked to make decisions about future fertility in the same consultation is an enormous amount to process. Our team approaches every oncofertility consultation with the understanding that the patient may be in shock, frightened, and struggling to think beyond the immediate threat to their life.
We provide clear, honest information about the realistic chances of using preserved material successfully in the future, the costs and practical implications of storage, and the consent framework governing what happens to stored material in various circumstances. We make space for these questions without rushing, and counselling support is available for patients who need more time to process before making a decision.
Why Choose KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City
Oncofertility requires a fertility team that can act with clinical urgency, a laboratory capable of performing preservation procedures on short notice, and a hospital environment where the coordination between oncology and fertility is immediate rather than indirect. At KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, all of these requirements are met within a single integrated hospital campus.
Book an Urgent Consultation
If you or someone in your care has received a cancer diagnosis and treatment is being planned, contact KIMS Cuddles at KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City directly to request a priority oncofertility consultation. Time matters, and our team is here to help you use it well.
