How does chemotherapy, radiation and surgery cause infertility and premature ovarian failure?
Cancer treatments like chemotherapy are designed to kill rapidly dividing cells throughout the body, while leaving other cells intact. Cancer cells divide rapidly, but so do the cells surrounding the ripening eggs in women. Thus infertility is a potential side effect of cancer treatment, as damage to the ovaries can occur. Individual factors like patient age, drug type, drug combinations and total drug dose affect the chance of becoming permanently infertile. Generally, younger women have a better chance of regaining fertility. Higher doses of drugs are usually more destructive. Radiation therapy also kills rapidly dividing cells, but only in or around its target area. If the radiation field includes the brain, it may affect fertility by damaging areas that control hormone production. Radiation therapy aimed close to, or at the pelvic areas of the body can also cause infertility by directly damaging the ovaries. In some cases, a shield can be used to protect the reproductive system, or
