Ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in women with cancer is as expected according to an age-specific nomogram.

Purpose: To evaluate the ovarian response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in cancer patients according to an age-specific nomogram for the number of retrieved oocytes.

Methods: Retrospective observational study carried out in a University affiliated fertility clinic. Forty-eight patients with cancer underwent ovarian stimulation for oocyte cryopreservation. An age - specific nomogram for the number of retrieved oocytes was built with 1536 IVF cycles due to male factor exclusively, oocyte donation and age related fertility preservation. The number of oocytes retrieved in cancer patients was compared to the expected response according to the nomogram using the Z-score.

Results: The mean number of total retrieved oocytes in patients with cancer was 14.04 ± 8.83. After applying the Z-score to compare the number of retrieved oocytes between women with cancer and the expected response according to the age-specific nomogram, we did not observe a statistically significant difference (Z-score 0.23; 95 % CI [-0.13-0.60]).

Conclusion(s): According to our results, patients with cancer exhibit an ovarian response as expected by age. Despite the limitation of the sample size, the obtained results should encourage oncologists for early referral of women with cancer to fertility specialists.