Exploring the perspectives of female cancer patients on the donation of reproductive cells for fertility preservation and research purposes

Introduction:
This study aims to explore the opinions of female cancer patients regarding the donation of cancer and reproductive cells for reproductive and research purposes.

Material and methods:
The study involved 373 female cancer patients from 2 hospitals with oncology departments in Poznan, Poland. They completed a pen-and-paper questionnaire-based survey.

Results:
While most female cancer patients declared their willingness to donate cancer tissues for fertility research (87.9%), they were reluctant to share their reproductive cells for research purposes (82.3%). Additionally, 88.2% of respondents were unwilling to donate embryos that remain after in vitro treatment for research purposes. Simultaneously, 57.1% of woman supported the preservation of fertility cells, 62.5% believed it should be ethically and legally regulated in Poland, and 74% believed it should be re-imbursed by the National Health Fund. Women’s opinions were linked to their age, education, place of residence, family status, and declared religiosity.

Conclusions:
Because most female cancer patients expressed their willingness to share their reproductive cells for reproductive purposes and believed that the preservation of cells for fertility purposes should be reimbursed by the State, there is a need for doctors and nurses to inform patients about the available ways to preserve fertility. However, because donation of reproductive cells for biomedical research raises many concerns, healthcare professionals should be trained to discuss with patients the ethical and legal issues related to fertility preservation and biomedical research involving reproductive cells.