Ovarian Tissue Transplantation: Advantages, Disadvantages and Upcoming Challenges (A Review Article)

In recent years using some methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplantation has increased the rate of success in cancer treatment, however, cancer is taking more victims every day throughout the world. According to the Natinal Cancer Institute of Iran, about 62040 cases were diagnosed with cancer in Iran during 2007of whom 44.19% were female. Usually, invasive therapeutic methods lead to gonadal damage and infertility. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation is suggested as the only way for saving the sex cells and fertility amongst prepubertal girls and women involved in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, genetic disorders or other specific diseases. The main goal of ovarian cryopreservation is to reinstate the tissue in order to restore fertility and hormonal cycle. Ovarian tissue transplants dates back to early twentieth century, but it took more than 100 years to have successful human birth following ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation. Nevertheless, many questions still exist which need to be dealt with.