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Fertility

Fertility is another area of concern when considering late effects. It is suggested that cancer patients discuss options with health care professionals BEFORE starting treatment. The degree of impairment can be related to the total doses and the age at which you received them.

Chemotherapy (and radiation in the rare cases that it is used for osteosarcoma treatment) can:

• Interfere with function of the testes in males and ovaries in females
• Impair sex hormone production (which affects secondary sexual characteristics such as breast and hair development)
• Cause infertility
• Be associated with early menopause in women

Regarding offspring, there is no evidence to date that babies born to survivors have an increased risk of birth defects. Women who are considering having a child should consult with their doctor beforehand since their heart may not be healthy enough to handle the extra stress that pregnancy creates. Females should be evaluated regularly by a gynecologist who is familiar with the patient's history. Males can be easily evaluated for fertility by their physician or at a fertility clinic.