Cancer is still a public health problem: although improvements in medical care have reduced mortality rate for most malignancies, a significant proportion of subjects affected by cancer face the consequences of treatment-related late effects. Young patients are often worried about the possible side effects of treatments on their fertility and future chances of conception; such worries are expected to increase, given the rising trend in delaying childbearing and the higher number of patients who have not completed their family planning at the time of diagnosis.
The European Society for Medical Oncology developed the present guidelines in order to provide evidence-based and up-to-date recommendations for healthcare professional working with cancer patients. These guidelines also highlight the importance of adequate management of the patients’ expectations in order to increase compliance to treatment, as well as provide flowcharts for strategies of fertility preservation.