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Purpose Oncofertility focuses on providing fertility and endocrine-sparing options to patients who undergo life-preserving but gonadotoxic cancer treatment. The resources needed to meet patient demand often are fragmented along disciplinary lines. We quantify assets and gaps in oncofertility care on a global scale. Methods Survey-based questionnaires were provided to 191 members of the Oncofertility Consortium Global Partners Network, a National Institutes of Health–funded organization. Responses were analyzed to measure trends and regional subtleties about patient oncofertility experiences and to analyze barriers to care at sites that provide oncofertility services. Results Sixty-three responses were received (response rate, 25%), and 40 were analyzed from oncofertility centers in 28 countries. Thirty of 40 survey results (75%) showed that formal referral processes and psychological care are provided to patients at the majority of sites. Fourteen of 23 respondents (61%) stated that some fertility preservation services are not offered because of cultural and legal barriers. The growth of oncofertility and its capacity to improve the lives of cancer survivors around the globe relies on concentrated efforts to increase awareness, promote collaboration, share best practices, and advocate for research funding. Conclusion This survey reveals global and regional successes and challenges and provides insight into what is needed to advance the field and make the discussion of fertility preservation and endocrine health a standard component of the cancer treatment plan. As the field of oncofertility continues to develop around the globe, regular assessment of both international and regional barriers to quality care must continue to guide process improvements.

ABSTRACT Objectives: to evaluate estradiol levels and autotransplantation heated ovarian tissue effects, after vitrification, on rats bone metabolism previously oophorectomized bilaterally. Methods: experimental study with 27 rats aged 11 to 12 weeks and weighing 200g to 300g, submitted to bilateral oophorectomy and ovarian tissue cryopreservation for subsequent reimplantation. Animals were divided into two groups, A and B, with 8 and 19 rats, respectively. Autotransplantation occurred in two periods according to castration time: after one week, in group A, and after one month in group B. Serum estradiol measurements and ovary and tibia histological analysis were performed before and after oophorectomy period (early or late) and one month after reimplantation. Results: in groups A and B, tibia median cortical thickness was 0.463±0.14mm (mean±SD) at the baseline, 0.360±0.14mm after oophorectomy and 0.445±0.17mm one month after reimplantation p

Objective: to compare the quality of life of liver transplant patients who received liver from donor aged ≤60 or >60 years old. Methods: a prospective study with a sample of 141 recipients from liver donors aged equal to or less than 60 years and recipients of elderly donor liver, in a reference center. Authors used a tool for identification and the Short Form-36. The Student-t and Mann-Whitney tests were applied for comparison between groups. Results: there were higher levels of quality of life with a statistically significant difference: Group A in social aspect (p=0.02) and Group B >50 months of transplantation (p=0.05) in physical component summary. Conclusion: the quality of life of liver receptors from older donor livers was similar to those who received a graft from younger donors in most dimensions. Transplanting time had a positive impact on the quality of life of elderly recipients.

PURPOSE: To compare two rat ovary cryopreservation techniques (vitrification vs. slow freezing) and two postmenopausal stages (early vs. late) with regard to graft take.METHODS:Thirty-three Wistar rats were submitted to bilateral oophorectomy. One ovary was submitted to histological analysis while the other was cryopreserved by slow freezing or vitrification. The cryopreserved ovary was thawed and reimplanted in the greater omentum one week (early menopause) or one month (late menopause) after oophorectomy. One month after ovary reimplantation, the graft take was evaluated macroscopically and histologically.RESULTS: Six of the animals were used ascontrols and seven died. The histological findings of 20 animals included atretic follicles (n=4), primordial follicles (n=2), and corpus luteum with primordial follicles (n=3). No ovarian tissue was found in 11 animals. Vitrification resulted in a higher graft take rate than slow freezing (50% vs. 38.5%), but the difference was not statistically significant. However, the graft take rate was 9.3 times higher in the early than in the late postmenopausal stage (61.5% vs. 14.3%) (p=0.043).CONCLUSION: Vitrification was superior to slow freezing as ovarian cryopreservation technique, and grafting was significantly more successful when the ovary was reimplanted in the late postmenopausal stage.

OBJECTIVES: This paper discusses the influence of a para-areolar incision in the upper outer quadrant of the breast on the location of the sentinel lymph node in a canine model. METHODS: The sentinel lymph node was marked with technetium-99, which was injected into the subareolar skin of the cranial breast. After the marker had migrated to the axilla, an arcuate para-areolar incision was performed 2 cm from the nipple in the upper outer quadrant. Patent blue dye was then injected above the upper border of the incision. At the marked site, an axillary incision was made, and the sentinel lymph node was identified by gamma probe and/or by direct visualization of the dye. The agreement between the two injection sites and the two sentinel lymph node identification methods was determined. Our sample group consisted of 40 cranial breasts of 23 adult females of the species Canis familiaris. The data were analyzed by using the McNemar test and by determining the kappa agreement coefficient. RESULT: Our findings showed that in 95% of the breasts, the sentinel lymph node was identified by the injection of technetium-99 m into the subareolar region, and in 82% of the cases, the sentinel lymph node was identified by the injection of patent blue dye above the upper border of the incision. The methods agreed 82% of the time. CONCLUSIONS: Previous para-areolar incisions in the upper outer quadrant did not interfere significantly with the biopsy when the dye was injected above the upper border of the incision.

Pesquisa do Linfonodo Sentinela (LS) tem se mostrado efetiva na avaliação axilar nas portadoras de neoplasia mamária. O LS negativo torna desnecessário o esvaziamento axilar. OBJETIVO: Identificar o LS da região subareolar da mama em cadelas utilizando corante azul patente (AP), Tecnécio Tc99m ou a associação de ambas as técnicas e compará-las quanto à sensibilidade na detecção do linfonodo sentinela. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas dezessete cães fêmeas. Um total de 55 mamas foram analisadas. Utilizou-se AP (2,5%/0,5 ml) e/ou Tc99m (1,0 mC/0,8ml) para identificação do LS. A aplicação do Tc99m era realizada duas horas antes da realização do experimento. O AP era injetado na região subareolar da mama. Localizado o LS, realizava-se sua exérese. RESULTADOS: Dos 44 linfonodos em que se utilizou AP, pôde-se verificar que 40 estavam corados (90,90%). Dos 48 linfonodos em que se utilizou Tc99m, 47 linfonodos estavam radioativos (97,91%) (p=0.18; k= - 0.067). Nas 37 mamas em que se associou AP ao Tc99m, apesar de 02 linfonodos não estarem corados, todos estavam radioativos (AP vs AP+Tc: p=0.12; k=0.083; Tc vs AP+Tc: p=1.0; k=0.018). CONCLUSÃO: O Tc99m e o corante azul patente, isolados ou associados, prestam-se à identificação do LS da mama do animal.The sentinel lymph node research (SLN) has been effective in the evaluation of nodal status in patients with breast cancer. A negative SLN makes an axillary lymphadenectomy unnecessary. PURPOSE: To identify the SLN of the subareolar region in female dog breasts using blue dye (BD), Technetium (Tc99m) or the association of both techniques and to compare their sensibility in the detection of the SLN. METHODS: Seventeen female dogs were studied. 55 breasts were analyzed. DB and/or Tc99m were used for the identification of SLN. Tc99m was introduced two hours before the experiment. BD was introduced some minutes before the procedure. Once the SLN was localized its dissection was performed. RESULTS: From all 44 lymph nodes in which BD was used, 40 were colored (90,90%). Tc99m was used in 48 lymph nodes and 47 of them were radioactive (97,91%) (BD vs Tc99m: p=0.18; k= - 0.067). BD and Tc99mwere associated in 37 lymph nodes, although 02 lymph nodes were not colored, all of them were radioactive (100%)(BD vs BD+Tc99m: p=0.12; k=0.083; Tc99m vs BD+ Tc99m: p=1.0; k=0.018). CONCLUSION: Tc99mand BD isolated or in association, were effective in the identification of the SLN in the female dog breasts studied.

Purpose In the accompanying article, “Survey of Fertility Preservation Options Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe,” we showed that specific fertility preservation services may not be offered at various sites around the world because of cultural and legal barriers. We assessed global and regional experiences as well as the legal status of third-party reproduction and adoption to serve as a comprehensive international data set and resource for groups that wish to begin oncofertility interventions. Methods We provide data on the legalities of third-party assisted reproductive technologies and other family-building options in the 28 oncofertility-practicing countries surveyed. Results We found regional and country differences that will be important in the development of tailored resources for physicians and for patient brochures that are sensitive to these local restrictions and cultural norms. Conclusion Because many patients first consult Web-based materials, the formal assessment of the availability of these options provides members of the global oncofertility community with data to which they might otherwise not have ready access to better serve their patients.