Will the treatment affect my fertility?

Some of the chemotherapy drugs used to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia can cause temporary or permanent infertility. Your doctor will talk to you about this in more detail before you start your treatment. If you have a partner you may want him or her to join you at this time so you can discuss any fears or worries together.

It is usually possible for men to have some of their sperm stored before they start treatment so that it can be used later if they want to have a family.

Most women find that their periods stop or become irregular during treatment. Periods may return to normal once the treatment is over, but sometimes they will stop completely. Women who are having periods can take hormone tablets, before their chemotherapy starts, to stop them having the side effects of an early menopause. However, the hormones will not prevent infertility.

You should continue to use reliable contraception during treatment because pregnancy is not advisable at this time and it is not certain whether chemotherapy will cause infertility.

Some drugs have less effect on fertility than others. Do remember that many couples have had healthy babies following chemotherapy treatment.

Unfortunately, people who have had intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy before bone marrow or stem cell transplantation are likely to be permanently infertile, although a small number of people do still go on to have children after such treatment.

A woman’s eggs or fertilised embryos can sometimes be stored before chemotherapy so that they can be returned to the womb after treatment to enable the woman to have a child. This procedure is still experimental though and is not widely available.

As your doctor knows the exact type of treatment you are having, he or she is the best person to answer your questions. Make a list of any questions you have so you are clear about your treatment, and the effect it is likely to have on you, before it starts.

Sexuality

Cancer and its treatments can affect not only your fertility but other aspects of your sexual identity and sex life. Younger people especially can find it difficult to come to terms with infertility because they feel that they have lost part of their sexual identity. Other aspects of treatment, such as hair loss and having a central line in place for chemotherapy, may also make some people feel sexually unattractive. These are all very natural and understandable feelings and if you are having problems coping you may find it helpful to discuss your feelings with a counsellor. CancerBACUP’s Cancer Cancer Support Service can give information on how to contact a counsellor in your area.

We have a section on sexuality and cancer which may help.