Treatment Overview
Onco-Cryobank Integration refers to the seamless coordination of fertility preservation (cryopreservation of oocytes, embryos, ovarian tissue, sperm) together with cancer care, under a unified clinical and laboratory infrastructure. In Korea, this means that oncology departments, reproductive endocrinology/IVF centers, and cryobank laboratories collaborate closely so that when a patient is diagnosed with cancer and faces gonadotoxic therapy, the fertility-preservation steps (consultation, harvesting, freezing, storage) are executed quickly, safely, and reliably without delaying cancer treatment. Korean centers use high-quality cryostorage, tracking systems, and standardized protocols so that preserved material can be retrieved years later. For example, a Korean tertiary center conducted 564 controlled ovarian stimulation cycles for fertility preservation in 416 women before gonadotoxic therapy.
Purpose & Benefits
- Safeguard future fertility and endocrine function: By preserving gametes or ovarian tissue before cancer treatment, patients retain the possibility of biological children later.
- Minimize delays in oncologic care: Integrated cryobank workflows in Korea ensure fertility preservation can begin rapidly, reducing interruption of cancer treatment.
- High technical quality: Korea’s advanced lab infrastructure and cryogenic technology support high post-thaw survival and viability of preserved tissues.
- Long-term storage and traceability: Cryobank networks in Korea ensure samples are securely stored, tracked, and retrievable even many years later.
- Holistic care for survivors: Integration ensures fertility is part of the survivorship plan—improving quality of life post-cancer.
- National standardization and networking: The Korean Society for Fertility Preservation (KSFP) coordinates a national network of cryobank and FP (fertility preservation) centers.
Ideal Candidates
- Patients diagnosed with cancer (female or male) of reproductive age who will receive chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery with a risk of gonadal damage.
- Women who must start cancer treatment quickly and cannot delay for long stimulation cycles (in which case tissue rather than oocyte preservation might be used).
- Prepubertal girls in whom ovarian tissue cryopreservation is the only viable option.
- Patients with hormone-sensitive cancers who require modified protocols for gamete/tissue preservation.
- Patients who wish to preserve fertility for later but are facing gonadotoxic treatments.
Possible Risks & Complications
- Delay in cancer treatment: Although the integration aims to minimize delays, any preservation step has potential to delay oncologic therapy if not well coordinated.
- Cryopreservation failure or damage: Although rare in modern labs, freezing and thawing may lead to loss of viability of tissues or gametes.
- Contamination risk: For ovarian tissue, there is always the theoretical risk of reintroducing malignant cells when transplanted later; rigorous screening is needed.
- Low utilization rate: Many cryobanked materials are never used; in one Korean center the utilization rate in oocyte preservation was ~3.1% and for embryo preservation ~16.9%.
- Cost and storage burden: Long-term storage costs, maintenance of cryobank infrastructure, tracking, and eventual usage are significant.
- Emotional/psychological burden: Patients may carry uncertainty about future fertility, which requires counseling support.
“Surgical Techniques” / Laboratory & Procedural Techniques Used
In the context of cryobank integration, “surgery” refers primarily to tissue harvest (rather than cancer surgery) as well as lab techniques for cryopreservation:
- Oocyte retrieval: Controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) followed by transvaginal oocyte retrieval, often using random-start protocols for cancer patients. In a Korean center, random-start COS was used in many cases.
- Embryo creation & freezing: Eggs fertilized (if sperm available) to embryos which are vitrified for future use.
- Ovarian tissue cryopreservation: Laparoscopic retrieval of ovarian cortical tissue for freezing and future transplantation—used especially when stimulation is not feasible. Korean review notes ~130 live births globally from OTC with ~30 % conception rate; in Korea transplantation has restored endocrine function in ~93% between 3.5 and 6.5 months.
- Cryopreservation / vitrification technology: Ultra-rapid freezing of gametes/tissue, secure cryostorage at –196 °C, redundant monitoring systems.
- Integration of cryobank with oncology workflow: Immediate scheduling and priority lab processing to meet the urgency of cancer therapy.
Recovery & Aftercare
- For oocyte/embryo retrieval: Standard late-IVF recovery (mild sedation, transvaginal retrieval, few hours bed rest). Patients are typically ready for cancer therapy within 24-48 hours.
- For ovarian tissue retrieval: Laparoscopic surgery recovery (often 1 day hospital stay, mild discomfort).
- Post-preservation follow-up: Patients receive counseling on next steps, cryobank storage terms, periodic reviews of ovarian reserve/hormonal status (for women).
- Long-term monitoring: For transplant cases, after oncologic remission, evaluation of endocrine function, restoration of cycles, option for fertility restoration (IVF or natural).
- Emotional and psychological support: Counseling to address fertility after cancer, the meaning of preserved tissue, and decision-making for future use.
In Korean centers, fertility preservation is part of survivorship care and follow-up is embedded into oncology/fertility joint programs.
Results & Longevity
- In the Korean tertiary center data: 564 COS cycles for FP in 416 women yielded up to 33 oocytes or 23 embryos per patient; one woman had her frozen ovarian tissue retransplanted and achieved embryo generation.
- Ovarian transplantation after OTC: Endocrine function recovery in ~92.9% of patients between 3.5–6.5 months in Korean review.
- Longevity of preserved materials: With modern vitrification, oocytes/embryos have high survival rates after thawing and can remain viable for many years.
- The “onco-cryobank” approach improves long-term fertility prospects for cancer survivors by providing preserved tissue/gametes and a structure for future use.
- However, actual usage rates remain relatively low (as noted above) so the real “return” on preserved material depends on follow-up, decision to use, and fertility restoration success.
Treatment Process in Korea
- Referral & Consultation: Once a cancer diagnosis is made and gonadotoxic therapy planned, oncology refers immediately to a fertility preservation team. In Korea, the Korean Society for Fertility Preservation (KSFP) helps coordinate a national network of centers for onco-fertility.
- Baseline Assessment: Reproductive endocrinology evaluates ovarian reserve (AMH, FSH), uterine/ovarian anatomy, partner sperm availability if embryo preservation is intended.
- Decision & Planning: The team chooses among oocyte, embryo, and/or ovarian tissue cryopreservation depending on time available, patient age, cancer type, hormone sensitivity. Clinical guidelines in Korea emphasize early referral and individualized approach.
- Harvest & Cryopreservation: According to chosen method:
- Oocyte/Embryo: COS (possibly random-start) → retrieval → fertilization (if embryo) → vitrification
- Ovarian Tissue: Laparoscopic biopsy → processing → vitrification / storage
- Cryostorage & Tracking: Materials are stored in a dedicated cryobank facility, with tracking, documentation, backup storage, and monitoring.
- Cancer Treatment Continues: After harvest/preservation, the patient proceeds with planned oncologic therapy without undue delay.
- Follow-up & Survivorship Care: Long-term endocrine and fertility monitoring. Patients are informed about future fertility restoration steps.
- Fertility Restoration (future): At appropriate time post-remission, preserved material may be thawed and used (embryo transfer, reimplantation of ovarian tissue, IVF).
- Institutional Networking & Quality Assurance: Korean centers participate in national network, share data, standardize cryobank protocols, and implement continuous improvement.
Why Korea is a top destination:
- High technical IVF & cryopreservation expertise, cost-competitive relative to Western countries
- National network (KSFP) coordinating onco-fertility care across centers
- Frequent application of “random-start” IVF to expedite harvest in cancer patients (Korean data)
- Multilingual and medical-tourism capabilities in leading Seoul/Fertility clinics
- Strong regulatory and quality systems for reproductive medicine and cryobanking
Cost Range (Details)
- While exact cryobank fees vary by clinic, in Korea the cost for fertility preservation cycles has been documented. The study showed many controlled ovarian stimulation cycles for cancer FP were completed.
- Estimated cost ranges for fertility preservation in Korea for non-oncologic egg freezing (cited in clinic guides) are roughly USD 2,500-5,000 for oocyte preservation (though oncologic cases may incur additional urgency and monitoring).
- Additional costs: cryostorage (annual fees for keeping material frozen), possible ovarian tissue transplant surgery cost later, future IVF/embryo transfer costs.
- For example, storage, lab work, legal tracking, and infrastructure must be factored.
- Because many cancer patients require expedited protocols, the cost may be somewhat higher than elective fertility preservation.
- Some Korean hospitals offer onco-fertility packages bundling consultation, preservation, cryobank storage, and follow-up care.
Popular Clinics in Korea
- Seoul National University Bundang Hospital / Fertility Center — Large tertiary center with documented fertility preservation outcomes in cancer patients.
- CHA Fertility Center (Seoul / Bundang / Gangnam) — Part of major fertility network and likely cryobank services.
- Maria Fertility Hospital / MariaPlus — Known fertility preservation and egg-freezing clinic in Seoul.
- MizMedi Women’s Hospital — Specialized women’s hospital with fertility preservation capability.
- Hamchoon Women’s Clinic — Specialized infertility and fertility preservation center.
