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| IVF hope for child cancer cases | IVF hope for child cancer cases |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Israeli scientists say that they have extracted and matured eggs from girls as young as five to freeze for possible fertility treatment in the future. | Israeli scientists say that they have extracted and matured eggs from girls as young as five to freeze for possible fertility treatment in the future. |
| The team said that the technique could give child cancer sufferers left infertile by chemotherapy treatment a shot at parenthood later in life. | The team said that the technique could give child cancer sufferers left infertile by chemotherapy treatment a shot at parenthood later in life. |
| The team took eggs from a group of girls between the ages of five and 10 who had cancer. | The team took eggs from a group of girls between the ages of five and 10 who had cancer. |
| They artificially matured the eggs to make them viable and froze them. | They artificially matured the eggs to make them viable and froze them. |
| This is the first time that human eggs have undergone changes in the test-tube which normally take place during puberty Professor Gedis Grudzinskas | This is the first time that human eggs have undergone changes in the test-tube which normally take place during puberty Professor Gedis Grudzinskas |
| Experts had previously thought the eggs of pre-pubescent girls could not be used in this way. | Experts had previously thought the eggs of pre-pubescent girls could not be used in this way. |
| Dr Ariel Revel, from Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, is to present the team's findings at a fertility conference in Lyon, France, this week. | Dr Ariel Revel, from Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, is to present the team's findings at a fertility conference in Lyon, France, this week. |
| "No eggs have yet been thawed, so we do not know whether pregnancies will result," he said in a statement. | "No eggs have yet been thawed, so we do not know whether pregnancies will result," he said in a statement. |
| "But we are encouraged by our results so far, particularly the young ages of the patients from whom we have been able to collect eggs." | "But we are encouraged by our results so far, particularly the young ages of the patients from whom we have been able to collect eggs." |
| Sterility risk | Sterility risk |
| Childhood cancer have a good cure rate - between 70% and 90% - but often require aggressive chemotherapy which can mean the child will be sterile in later life. | Childhood cancer have a good cure rate - between 70% and 90% - but often require aggressive chemotherapy which can mean the child will be sterile in later life. |
| Doctors have been experimenting with freezing the ovarian tissue of young girls which could be transplanted back into their bodies when they are older. | Doctors have been experimenting with freezing the ovarian tissue of young girls which could be transplanted back into their bodies when they are older. |
| However, the ovarian tissue could also contain cancerous cells. Frozen eggs could eliminate this risk, say experts. | However, the ovarian tissue could also contain cancerous cells. Frozen eggs could eliminate this risk, say experts. |
| The new technique could give girls an option they would otherwise not have, the team said. | The new technique could give girls an option they would otherwise not have, the team said. |
| Professor Gedis Grudzinskas, medical director of the Bridge Fertility Centre, London, said: "This is very important because this is the first time that human eggs have undergone changes in the test-tube which normally take place during puberty." | Professor Gedis Grudzinskas, medical director of the Bridge Fertility Centre, London, said: "This is very important because this is the first time that human eggs have undergone changes in the test-tube which normally take place during puberty." |
| Dr Hamish Wallace, a consultant paediatric oncologist at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, said: "Maturing in vitro a primitive egg from a five-year-old girl would be a huge advance. | Dr Hamish Wallace, a consultant paediatric oncologist at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, said: "Maturing in vitro a primitive egg from a five-year-old girl would be a huge advance. |
| "Doctors wouldn't need to worry about the ovarian tissue being contaminated with some of the original cancer cells and reintroducing the cancer into the body." | "Doctors wouldn't need to worry about the ovarian tissue being contaminated with some of the original cancer cells and reintroducing the cancer into the body." |
| Geoff Thaxter, of the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent, said: "This report represents interesting initial research into potential fertility treatments for children being treated for cancer, and could help to make sure that childhood cancer does not have a lifelong impact." | |
| But Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics expressed concern that if the eggs were donated to a woman of childbearing age, a resulting child could have a biological mother who was only a few years older. | But Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics expressed concern that if the eggs were donated to a woman of childbearing age, a resulting child could have a biological mother who was only a few years older. |
| She said: "Are we going to end up with a child who has a mother who is just six years older? What happens if the child dies? Could the eggs be donated to someone else? | She said: "Are we going to end up with a child who has a mother who is just six years older? What happens if the child dies? Could the eggs be donated to someone else? |
| "I don't think this is the first priority for five year olds. Any intervention for a child going through cancer treatment is an added burden. I feel uncomfortable about this development." | "I don't think this is the first priority for five year olds. Any intervention for a child going through cancer treatment is an added burden. I feel uncomfortable about this development." |