Ownership of this website has been transferred from Northwestern University to Michigan State University. Please note that some site information may be inaccurate while adjustments to reflect this organizational change are made.
A new journal article by Oncofertility Consortium members explores the fertility and parenthood concerns of adolescent and young adult (AYA) female cancer survivors and the various components that lead to their reproductive decisions. The qualitative study that begot this article aimed to provide...
In case you haven’t heard about the Cancer Smashers, you must continue reading and get to know this fantastic group of young people banning together to raise money to eradicate cancer. Let me begin by telling you who they are and what they’re all about. Then we’ll get into all the cool things that...
From left: Irene Su, Laxmi Kondapalli and Maureen Prewitt
This is the final installment in a 3-part blog series featuring Oncofertility Consortium member, Laxmi Kondapalli, MD, MSCE. In this post, we take a look at her current position at the University of Colorado and her latest research...
Laxmi Kondapalli being interviewed by Dayle Cedars from Channel 7 news in Denver
One of the many, if not one of the most, important aims of the Oncofertility Consortium and its emphasis on fertility preservation research and clinical care, is “training the next generation.” Not only is the mission...
Most cancer therapies, while life-preserving, can threaten the future fertility of both males and females. Fortunately, the menu of fertility preservation options is broad, and due to ongoing research efforts through the Oncofertility Consortium and around the globe, these...
Last month, we wrote a series of blogs on Giuliana Rancic and the relationship between infertility treatments and breast cancer. A recent study has also raised awareness on such medical advances and the relationship with ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer occurs in almost 4% of female cancer cases and...
What is the role of an obstetrician/gynecologist in cancer care for young women? When you think about cancer and cancer treatment, most likely you’re thinking of oncology and what line of defense will be taken against the cancer. A new article in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology from...
A recent blog post in the academic journal, Nature, explores a new report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (an organization in England that examines and reports on ethical issues in biology and medicine), suggesting that women who donate their unfertilized eggs to research deserve to be...
Recently there has been a lot of attention brought to the concept of collaboration in academia, specifically in the sciences. Gone are the days (at least in our niche) where disciplines drew a dividing line in the sand – scientists keep to one side of the room, humanities, you go play in the other...
The Oncofertility Consortium and the Hormone Foundation developed fact sheets for men, women, and children to learn about the impact of cancer on their fertility, hormonal management, and fertility options. These fact sheets are available at SaveMyFertility.org, a website which provides patients...
I’m excited to be writing about the second issue of the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (JAYAO) , the first cancer journal of it’s kind. This second issue is no small feat - many journals come and go and it takes a dedicated editorial staff and readership to keep the ship afloat....
Every year, 70,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) between the ages of 15-40 are diagnosed with cancer. They may experience this diagnosis as a devastating twist of fate that has the potential for derailing their life from its current track. However, with the changes in...
Earlier this year, I blogged about a young woman and volunteer with Bright Pink, Kristin Nelson, who had preventative ovarian removal after she tested positive for BRCA1. BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are a class of genes otherwise known as tumor suppressors, and a mutation of these genes has been linked...
At the Oncofertility Consortium, we are always trying to make sure that we have the most up-to-date and accessible information regarding fertility preservation, particularly for patients. Whether we are partnering with advocacy groups to let patients know about support services available to them or...
At the Oncofertility Consortium, it’s no secret that we believe in the importance of fertility preservation for young cancer patients – it’s what we’re all about. Research, education, advocacy, clinical care, you name it, we're on top of it and constantly looking for ways we can improve the...
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes. This breaks down to a 12 percent, or 1 in 8, lifetime risk for women of developing breast cancer in the U.S. and right now, there are about two and a half million breast...
Last week, the 2011 Oncofertility Consortium Conference: Priorities for Sustainable Oncofertility Research and Patient Care, was held here in Chicago. One of the more than 150 attendees was a University of Pennsylvania medical school student, Katie Dillon, who works with Clarisa Gracia, MD, MSCE on...
The contents of the Oncofertility Consortium Blog are for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.