By: Lauren Ataman-Millhouse -
Drs. Teresa Woodruff and Shuo Xiao recently published in Toxicological Sciences, which is one of the top journals in toxicology field. This paper examined doxorubicin and its effect on follicle function and oocyte health. Here is more information about the paper from its author Dr. Shuo Xiao:
It is known that the chemo-chemical doxorubicin affects ovarian functions by killing follicles, which significantly increases the risk of premature ovarian failure, early menopause, and even infertility in young female cancer patients and childhood cancer survivors. A research paper recently published in Toxicological Sciences found that the low dose, but still human relevant exposure levels of doxorubicin does not significantly affect follicle growth and ovulation, but adversely disrupts oocyte meiotic division and chromosome segregation, which should be given more awareness because the inappropriate meiotic division increases the risk of aneuploidy and birth defect, and it is suggested that cancer patients should avoid this window for oocyte and embryo cryopreservation and pregnancy during chemotherapy.
Here is the pubmed link:
Doxorubicin has dose-dependent toxicity on mouse ovarian follicle development, hormone secretion, and oocyte maturation.
Xiao S, Zhang J, Liu M, Iwahata H, Rogers HB, Woodruff TK.
Toxicol Sci. 2017 Mar 17. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfx047. [Epub ahead of print]