Male fertility possible after cancer
This is a world first! A team of Belgian scientists will attempt a transfer to restore fertility to men who were treated for cancer in their youth.
More and more children and young adults are surviving cancer thanks to medical advances. But most cancer treatments carry a high risk of lifelong infertility.
At the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), a team of researchers led by Ellen Goossens, Professor of reproductive biology, has developed the ability to re-implant testicular tissue in men who are unable to produce sperm as a result of cancer treatment. This would be a world first!
Specifically, testicular tissue that has been frozen in previous years will be transplanted into these infertile men who want to have children. The goal is to create a treatment for infertility by allowing the development of spermatozoa.
This operation, which will be performed this year for the first time in the world, has the support of academic authorities that have studied this approach within their ethics committee. The competent regional authorities in Belgium have also committed to financially supporting this medical breakthrough, which will bring relief to many families wanting to have children.
Belgium can pride itself on remaining at the forefront of the fight against cancer.