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Other treatments
Below are some other cancer treatments that may impact your fertility.
Stem cell transplant
For a small number of people with blood cancers, high-dose chemotherapy and, sometimes, a type of radiation therapy known as total body irradiation are given before a stem cell transplant to kill the cancer cells in the body. The risk of permanent infertility after these treatments is high.
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy
The effects of these newer drug therapies on fertility and pregnancy are unknown, but are likely to vary depending on the drug you take. Talk to your cancer and fertility specialists about how these treatments may affect your fertility.
→ READ MORE: Specific challenges after treatment
Podcast: Immunotherapy & Targeted Therapy
Listen to more episodes from our podcast for people affected by cancer
More resources
Dr Sally Reid, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Adelaide) and Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Dr Sarah Ellis, Clinical Psychologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children’s Hospital and UNSW, NSW; John Booth, Consumer; Hope Finlen, Haematology Nurse Consultant, Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD; Dr Michelle Harrison, Medical Oncologist – Gynaecological cancers, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Melissa Jones, Nurse Consultant, Youth Cancer Service SA/NT, Royal Adelaide Hospital, SA; Dr Violet Kieu, Clinical Director, Melbourne IVF and Fertility Specialist, The Royal Women’s Hospital, VIC; Prof Declan Murphy, Consultant Urologist, Director – Genitourinary Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The University of Melbourne, VIC; Stephen Page, Family and Fertility Lawyer, and Legal Practice Director, Page Provan, QLD; Ann Retzlaff, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; A/Prof Kate Stern AO, Fertility specialist, Gynaecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist, Royal Women’s Hospital and Melbourne IVF, VIC; Georgia Webster, Consumer.
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