Publications by authors named "Holly Hoefgen"

Study Objective: To evaluate practice patterns in ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) provision METHODS: US providers practicing or developing OTC in pediatric programs were invited to participate in a survey disseminated via the Oncofertility Consortium.

Results: Twenty-seven programs representing a wide geographic area responded, largely representing academic institutions (85.2%).

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Reproductive late effects after hematopoietic stem cell transplant can have a significant impact on cancer survivors' quality of life. Potential late effects include gonadal insufficiency, genital graft-versus-host disease, uterine injury, psychosexual dysfunction, and an increased risk of breast and cervical cancer in patients treated with total body irradiation. Despite guidelines, screening and treatment are not standardized among at-risk patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • An estimated 500,000 cancer survivors of reproductive age in the U.S. face long-term side effects from cancer treatments, including a significant focus on enhancing quality of life in survivorship.
  • Infertility affects 12% of female childhood cancer survivors and decreases pregnancy chances by 40% in young adults aged 18-39, while other underdiagnosed gynecological issues also impact their quality of life.
  • A special edition of articles explores various aspects of reproductive health in cancer survivorship, addressing topics like fertility, sexual health, and additional gynecologic consequences of cancer treatments.
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Introduction: Female cancer survivors who received gonadotoxic cancer treatment are at risk for profound diminished ovarian reserve and/or primary ovarian insufficiency with resulting infertility, which can be associated with distress and decreased quality of life.. Despite prioritizing future parenthood, many survivors are unsure of the impact of their treatment on their future fertility, and little is known about the perceived reproductive health needs and factors associated with receipt of a fertility status assessment (FSA).

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Purpose: Fertility preservation is an increasingly important topic in adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, yet treatments remain under-utilized, possibly due to lack of awareness and understanding. The internet is widely used by adolescents and young adults and has been proposed to fill knowledge gaps and advance high-quality, more equitable care. As a first step, this study analyzed the quality of current fertility preservation resources online and identified opportunities for improvement.

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Purpose Fertility preservation is an increasingly important topic in adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, yet treatments remain under-utilized, possibly due to lack of awareness and understanding. The internet is widely used by adolescents and young adults and has been proposed to fill knowledge gaps and advance high-quality, more equitable care. As a first step, this study analyzed the quality of current fertility preservation resources online and identified opportunities for improvement.

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Objective: To determine if removing an ovary for ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) increased rates of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) in girls undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Institutional review board approval was obtained from all 3 clinical sites.

Design: Multicenter retrospective cohort study SETTING: Academic children's hospitals PATIENTS: Females aged 2-21 who underwent BMT with or without OTC from 2010 to 2017.

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Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative therapy for many pediatric malignant and nonmalignant conditions. Gonadal insufficiency or infertility is present in almost all HSCT survivors who received a myeloablative conditioning (MAC) regimen. Reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens are being increasingly used in medically fragile patients or in patients with nonmalignant diagnoses to limit the toxicities associated with HSCT; however, the short-term and long-term gonadal toxicity of RIC regimens in pediatric and young adult survivors remains unknown.

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Female patients with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer are at increased risk for fertility impairment when treatment adversely affects the function of reproductive organs. Patients and their families desire biological children but substantial variations in clinical practice guidelines reduce consistent and timely implementation of effective interventions for fertility preservation across institutions. As part of the PanCareLIFE Consortium, and in collaboration with the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group, we reviewed the current literature and developed a clinical practice guideline for fertility preservation in female patients who were diagnosed with childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer at age 25 years or younger, including guidance on risk assessment and available methods for fertility preservation.

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Impairment of fertility and sexual/reproductive health are common after oncologic therapy, and are known to have negative impacts on romantic relationships and psychosocial well-being among childhood cancer survivors. The Pediatric Initiative Network (PIN) is an international, multidisciplinary group of providers within the Oncofertility Consortium dedicated to preserving and protecting the fertility of children and adolescents at risk for infertility due to medical conditions or treatments. The PIN and its Best Practices and Research committees meet virtually throughout the year, with one annual in-person meeting.

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Vulvovaginal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is an underdiagnosed and poorly recognized complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Previous studies have reported findings restricted to predominantly adult populations. We report a case series of pediatric and young adult vulvovaginal GVHD, which was identified in 19 patients (median age, 11.

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Infertility is known to decrease quality of life among adults. In some cases, infertility is caused by medical conditions and/or treatments prescribed in childhood, and using methods to protect or preserve fertility may expand future reproductive possibilities. Structured programs to offer counseling about infertility risk and fertility preservation options are essential in the care of pediatric patients facing fertility-threatening conditions or treatments, yet multiple barriers to program development exist.

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Background: The pediatric emergency department (PED) provides care for adolescents at high risk of unintended pregnancy, but little is known regarding the efficacy of PED-based pregnancy prevention interventions. The objectives of this PED-based pilot intervention study were to 1) assess the rate of contraception initiation after contraceptive counseling and appointment facilitation in the PED during the study period, 2) identify barriers to successful contraception initiation, and 3) determine adolescent acceptability of the intervention.

Methods: This pilot intervention study included females 14 to 19 years of age at risk for unintended pregnancy.

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The incidence of childhood cancer has steadily increased since the 1950s, with approximately 16,000 children diagnosed each year. However, with the advent of more effective multimodal therapies, childhood cancer survival rates have continued to improve over the past 40 years, with >80% of patients now surviving into adulthood. Fertility preservation (FP) has become an important quality-of-life issue for many survivors of childhood cancer.

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Study Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare ovarian conservation rates and surgical approach in benign adnexal surgeries performed by surgeons vs gynecologists at a tertiary care institution.

Design: A retrospective cohort review.

Setting: Children's and adult tertiary care university-based hospital.

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Background: The hormonal management of patients with androgen insensitivity can be challenging.

Case: An illustrative case is presented of a newborn with ambiguous genitalia who was raised female. She was diagnosed as 46,XY Disorder of Sexual Development with partial androgen insensitivity.

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Background: River tree rope swings are popular for recreation along inland lakes and rivers, but not without hazard. In a comprehensive review of injuries related to rope swings, genital injuries accounted for nearly 3 percent.

Case: We describe significant genital injuries, with laceration and avulsion of the labia and a large vulvar hematoma in 2 young women as a consequence of rope swing use.

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