Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Subsequent Auto-Transplantation for Female Cancer Patients (HKCH)

NCT ID: NCT06505057

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-08-13
• Study Completion Date: 2041-07-31

Brief Summary

Ovarian tissue freezing is an ideal option for these patients as it can be performed immediately and does not need any time for ovarian stimulation. We hope we can develop this service in our locality to allow more young female cancer patients to have their fertility preserved.

Detailed Description

To date, transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue has resulted in births of at least 130 children but data on transplantation of ovarian tissue removed before puberty are scarce.

During ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), it is possible to freeze isolated oocytes. In 2003, Revel et al described for the first time oocyte isolation in children younger than 12 years with seven, eight and seven oocytes isolated from the ovarian cortex of patients aged 5, 8 and 10 years, respectively.

At this moment, financial constraint is another great hindrance to fertility preservation in Hong Kong as the procedure is not cheap. Cryopreservation of gametes and embryos involving assisted reproductive technology is expensive and the costs of fertility preservation impose a great burden to these cancer patients on top of the great expenses for their chemo- or radiotherapy. It is almost impossible for underprivileged families.

Young cancer patients may often need immediate gonadotoxic treatment for their cancer, just like those with haematological cancers. In these patients, egg or embryo freezing is not possible as it takes at least 8-12 days' time for ovarian stimulation. Ovarian tissue freezing is an ideal option for these patients as it can be performed immediately and does not need any time for ovarian stimulation. We hope we can develop this service in our locality to allow more young female cancer patients to have their fertility preserved.

Conditions

Neoplasms

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

ovarian tissue freezing and subsequent auto-transplantation after thawing

Removal of the ovarian tissue will be retrieved via laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia. The ovarian cortical tissue obtained will be transferred on ice to the laboratory for cryopreservation. After medical treatment, if the patient would like to start a family but has experienced premature ovarian failure, she will have ovarian tissue auto-transplantation after thawing.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Subsequent Auto-Transplantation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Subsequent Auto-Transplantation

Interventions

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Subsequent Auto-Transplantation

Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Subsequent Auto-Transplantation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients aged from 0-35 years old and diagnosed with cancer e.g., leukaemia, myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic diseases, lymphoma, bone tumours, neurological neoplasms and sarcoma, Paediatric bone marrow transplant patients
• Patients with any illness or who will undergo any type of treatment that may cause irreversible damage to their fertility, such as extensive abdominal surgery, high toxicity medication and treatments;
• Patients suffering from hormone-sensitive malignancies who will undergo medical treatment, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy that is liable to damage their ovaries and deter them from conception in the future.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with no anticipated oncologic therapies Patients who are pregnant Children with one ovary Children deemed high risk for perioperative complications Patients unable to provide consent/assent (i.e. significant psychiatric problems/cognitive delay)

-

• Minimum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Chung Pui Wah Jacqueline

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Jacqueline Pui Wah CHUNG, MBBS

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Locations

Hong Kong Children's Hospital

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Hong Kong

Central Contacts

Elaine NG, MPhil

Role: CONTACT

elaineng@cuhk.edu.hk

35052745

Facility Contacts

Elaine NG, MPhil

Role: primary

elaineng@cuhk.edu.hk

35052745

Jacqueline Pui Wah CHUNG, MBBS

Role: backup

acquelinechung@cuhk.edu.hk

35051537

Other Identifiers

PAED-2023-079

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id