There are rising rates of people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) before age 50, which is leading many young patients to wonder: Can colorectal cancer cause infertility?

Being diagnosed with colorectal cancer during early adulthood comes with many challenges – some of which are uniquely different from challenges faced by patients diagnosed at an older age.

One of the most prominent differences is how cancer and cancer treatments can affect fertility.

What is Infertility?

Infertility, which typically means not getting pregnant despite having carefully timed, unprotected sex for one year, can be a side effect of treatment and affect both males and females.

We talked with Dr. Terri Woodard, Associate Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and she answered the following questions about fertility and colorectal cancer.

Could cancer treatment affect my ability to have children in the future?

Treatment for colorectal cancer can affect fertility in several ways. Surgery that involves removal of the uterus and/or both ovaries in women will cause infertility. In addition, it may cause scarring that can make it difficult to conceive.

Chemotherapy can damage sperm and eggs. The amount of damage depends on the type and dose of the drugs a person receives.

Radiation treatment to the pelvic area also damages the ovaries and testicles, which are very sensitive to even low doses of radiation. The amount of damage depends on the size of the radiation field, the dose of radiation given, and the number of treatments. 

If the uterus is included in the radiation field, it can be damaged, making it difficult for a woman to conceive and carry a pregnancy.

When should I talk to my doctor about my fertility?

Although you can talk to your doctor about your fertility concerns any time, it is best to discuss them early in the course of diagnosis and treatment planning, BEFORE you start any treatment. This allows time for referral to a fertility specialist to learn about your risk of infertility and pursue fertility preservation, if you desire.

How do I find a fertility specialist?

There are several ways to find a fertility specialist. Your doctor may be able to recommend one that he/she has worked with. If not, a good resource is the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) website, which has a “Find a Clinic” database that allows you to locate clinics near you.

Most importantly, let the clinic know that you are a patient with cancer who needs to be seen urgently, so that they can evaluate you well before you start cancer treatment. Ask them: Can colorectal cancer cause infertility? Be ready for honest conversations.

What options are available for fertility preservation?

FOR MEN

Men should freeze (“bank”) sperm PRIOR to receiving any cancer treatment. 

Occasionally, some men may have difficulty providing a sample, so more invasive methods such as electrical stimulation or a testicular biopsy are used.

Frozen sperm can be used for intrauterine inseminations (IUIs—injecting sperm into the uterus) or for in vitro fertilization (IVF).

FOR WOMEN

Women have several options for fertility preservation, including egg and embryo freezing, ovarian tissue freezing, ovarian transposition, and ovarian suppression.

Egg and embryo freezing

Egg and embryo freezing are considered to be the most efficacious and standard of care options to preserve fertility. The process involves taking injectable hormones to stimulate the ovaries to ripen multiple eggs at once. Then the eggs are removed in a minor, outpatient surgery. Using ultrasound, the fertility specialist guides a needle through the upper vagina into each follicle on the surface of the ovary, “harvesting” the egg inside. Once eggs have been removed, they can be frozen or fertilized in the lab with the sperm of a partner or a donor. Eggs that fertilize and form embryos are frozen and stored for future use if the patient needs them. This process is called in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation

This treatment involves surgically removing an ovary or a portion of one. The tissue is then sliced into small pieces and frozen. Each piece contains hundreds of immature eggs. Although no longer considered experimental, this treatment is not widely available and should be pursued at experienced centers.

ovarian transposition

For women who will receive pelvic radiation that affects the ovaries, ovarian transposition can be considered.  This involves surgically moving the ovaries up and out up the pelvis and thus, out of the radiation field.

Uterine Transposition

This surgical procedure moves the uterus up in the abdomen to prevent damage from radiation. Once radiation treatment is complete, the uterus is moved back down into the pelvis. There have been a few live births after using this technique.

Ovarian suppression

This is another experimental option for preserving fertility. Using a medication called a GnRH agonist, the ovaries are shut down into a “quiet state.” It has been suggested that ovaries that are suppressed during chemotherapy are more resistant to its effects. However, the data is not clear whether it truly works or not.

Are there any lifestyle modifications I’ll need to make?

It is recommended that you be as healthy as possible by eating a balanced diet, exercising, and avoiding tobacco, alcohol, or drug use.

What is the cost of fertility preservation?

Fertility preservation is expensive, and costs can vary widely between geographic regions. 

For sperm banking, the average cost is $400-$600, which includes one year of storage. There may be additional costs for infectious disease testing.

For egg and embryo freezing, the average cost ranges from $8,000-$12,000 per cycle.

Some people have insurance coverage that will cover the cost of it—you should always call your insurance company to see if you have fertility treatment benefits. It’s also important to consider these additional cost factors:

• Appointment Fees
• Bloodwork
• Additional Medications
• Ultrasounds and Monitoring
• Storage Fees 

What is the success rate for fertility preservation?

The success rate of fertility preservation depends on multiple factors, including age, the quality of sperm/eggs or embryos at the time of treatment, and the presence of any other fertility problems. It is important to speak with your fertility specialist to get an accurate estimate of your success rate.

*Please note: for some people, more than 1 cycle is needed to successfully conceive.

What are my options if I am infertile after cancer treatment?

If you become infertile after cancer treatment, there are several ways that you can build your family. 

If you previously stored sperm, eggs or embryos, they can be thawed and used to have a child.

If you do not have frozen sperm/eggs/embryos, you may wish to use third party reproduction. Third party reproduction is the use of eggs, sperm, and/or embryos that have been donated by a third person (whom we refer to as a donor) to enable an infertile individual or couple (known as the recipient(s)) to become parents.  Donors may be known or anonymous.

For women who are unable to carry a pregnancy, gestational carriers are a good option. A gestational carrier is a woman who agrees to carry a pregnancy, but she is not genetically related to the child.

Adoption is another wonderful way to build a family. There are many different types of adoption agencies and adoptions, so it is important to learn about the process and what is involved.

Additional resources

Explore these wonderful online resources to learn more about fertility.

• National Cancer Institute – Fertility
• Livestrong Fertility
• ReproductiveFacts.org
• resolve
• SaveMyFertility.org