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Ovarian transplantation
Title: Ovarian tissue autotransplantation
Address: Scottsdale, Arizona
Source: Endocrinology Update Monday, October 4, 1999
Summary: Two studies presented September 27, 1999, at the Annual Meeting
of
the American Society for Reproductive medicine (ASRM), demonstrated the progress
in the effort to freeze ovarian tissue in order to preserve fertility. In the
first study, researchers tested the safety of ovarian tissue retrieved from
cancer patients prior to treatment, with the goal of later auto-transplantation.
The ovarian tissues were grafted into mice, who were then tested for cancerous
cells. Sixteen weeks after surgery, no signs of cancer were detected. The second
study reported a case of an experimental ovarian tissue auto-transplantation in a
woman, which appeared to restore her ovarian function. The 30-year-old patient
had surgery at age 17 for ovarian cysts and at age 28 she had another procedure.
However, at this time the tissue was cryogenically preserved. Approximately 8
months later, sections of the tissue were laparoscopically transplanted into the
patient. Three and a half months later, fertility drugs were used to stimulate
her ovaries, follicles developed, ovulation occurred, and the patient experienced
a normal menstrual period. This indicates the transplanted tissue was responsive
and would produce eggs. This is the first reported case of follicle development
following auto-transplantation of frozen, banked human ovarian tissue.
Comment: This same experiment had been successfully performed in sheep
with
establishment of a pregnancy in sheep several years ago. These scientists have
continued to perform studies in this area, so this is not new, but very exciting
nevertheless. This research has received sensationalistic headlines as a
technique to indefinitely postpone menopause. There is still much work to be
done. It is very difficult to predict the future of ovarian tissue
transplantation. We all can speculate.
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