maturation of immature oocytes for fertility preservation in cancer patients compared to control patients with fertility problems in an fertilization program.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine whether maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes after controlled hormonal stimulation of the ovaries could be important in cancer patients to improve their chances of conception in the future.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

After ovarian stimulation in cancer patients, the number of oocytes and their quality and maturity were compared to control patients with fertility problems in the fertilization (IVF) program. In both groups of patients, immature oocytes at the developmental stage of germinal vesicle were matured and the proportion of oocytes that matured was compared between groups. In a subset of women with fertility problems, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was performed on IVM oocytes to assess their ability to be fertilized and develop into an embryo compared to matured oocytes in the same cycles and consider the procedure in cancer patients.

RESULTS

In patients with different cancers, the disease did not affect the number and quality of retrieved oocytes. In cancer patients, there was even a significantly lower proportion of immature oocytes than in patients with fertility problems (30.0% . 43.6%; P < 0.05). However, in patients with cancer, fewer oocytes per patient matured than in patients with fertility problems (1.39 ± 1.04 . 2.48 ± 1.83; P < 0.05). After ICSI, the proportions of fertilized oocytes and fertilized oocytes developing into an embryo did not differ between oocytes matured and in the same cycles.

CONCLUSIONS

Oocyte IVM is proving to be a reliable procedure for resolving immature oocytes after controlled ovarian stimulation in cancer patients.