Cancer patients’ and professional caregivers’ needs, preferences and factors associated with receiving and providing fertility-related information: A mixed-methods systematic review

Communication Difficulties and the Experience of Loneliness in Patients With Cancer Dealing With Fertility Issues: A Qualitative Study

“…A multidisciplinary approach may reduce fragmented care. Based on the results of the main qualitative research project (Goossens et al, 2013) and a mixed-methods systematic review regarding fertility-related information (Goossens et al, 2014), the following recommendations to improve multidisciplinary collaboration between oncology and fertility healthcare professionals could be formulated: (a) coordinate care between oncology and reproductive medicine units, (b) create a shared vision regarding fertility preservation in patients with cancer, (c) establish agreements on referral and oncofertility care, (d) regularly schedule interdisciplinary team meetings, (e) maintain comprehensive and clear medical records, (f) inform all healthcare professionals about fertility-related decisions and procedures, and (g) designate a contact person in each unit.…”

Fertility preservation and cancer

“…Although providers are increasingly addressing fertility with their patients (43), recent studies indicate improvements are still needed (44, 45), and both patient- and provider-reported frequency of fertility-related discussions vary greatly (43, 46, 47). In a review of the literature, patients’ unmet fertility information needs ranged from 66% to 100%, and between 11% to 90% of patients rated the information they received as sufficient (43).…”

“…In a review of the literature, patients’ unmet fertility information needs ranged from 66% to 100%, and between 11% to 90% of patients rated the information they received as sufficient (43). Differences have been reported based on gender: among adolescent and young adult survivors attending support group conferences in the U.K. in both 2004 and 2011, most males remembered having had a discussion about fertility prior to treatment and generally being satisfied, whereas females were less likely to have remembered a discussion and more likely to be unsatisfied with discussions when they occurred (48).…”

“…While physicians indicated greater comfort than nurses discussing fertility, the majority of oncology providers report a desire for further training and education (43, 47). A number of studies have documented barriers preventing optimal management of fertility issues in oncology settings.…”

Observational study of the development and evaluation of a fertility preservation patient decision aid for teenage and adult women diagnosed with cancer: the Cancer, Fertility and Me research protocol

“…10 Evidence from the medical and psychological literature examining aspects of fertility, pregnancy and decision-making following a cancer diagnosis have identified a range of factors which may hinder decisionmaking for this patient population. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] The barriers identified are diverse including financial concerns (especially in those countries where fertility preservation is not covered by insurance), fear associated with aggravating a hormone-sensitive cancer or a future pregnancy (in terms of a cancer recurrence and/or implications for the health of a future child) and lack of referral to fertility services (eg, due to reasons such as the oncologist prioritising cancer survival).…”