Cancer patients denied NHS fertility treatment, say doctors

A report backed by cancer and fertility experts from Royal Colleges of Physicians, Radiologists, and Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, has highlighted that many patients left infertile by cancer treatment are being denied the NHS fertility treatments promised to them in national guidelines. The group said that a national policy on sperm, egg and embryo storage was urgently needed to ensure NHS fertility treatment was universally available to all cancer patients.

'It is shocking that arguments over funding still limit patients' access to fertility preserving treatments. Sperm freezing is well established, simple and effective. It should be available to all as recommended by three reports from National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), and there should be a national strategy to fund other options for patients', said Dr Michael Williams, Vice-President of the Royal College of Radiologists.

An accompanying survey by the UK charity Cancerbackup highlighted the 'postcode lottery' in services for UK cancer patients. Nearly a fifth of Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) who responded to the survey revealed that they do not fund this service for cancer patients and a third of male cancer patients said they had not been offered sperm freezing services prior to cancer treatment.

'It is unacceptable that access to fertility services for cancer patients is dependent on where you live,' said Joanne Rule, Cancerbackup chief executive, stressing that 'all cancer patients should be informed of the potential impact of cancer treatment on their fertility before treatment starts.'

About 11,000 people aged between 15 and 40 are diagnosed with cancer every year. Infertility affects around 1 in 4 cancer patients who receive treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and some surgery. Although government guidelines issued in 2004 said that cancer patients should universally be offered egg, sperm and embryo storage, the report says that four years later these targets are still not being met universally.

Cath Foot, Cancer Research UK's head of policy, said: 'More people are surviving cancer but some still experience long-term effects, like fertility problems, from treatment. This report highlights a worrying inequality in access to fertility treatments across the country. 'The NHS should ensure that NICE guidance is properly followed so that any fertility risk from cancer treatment is explained to patients who should be offered access to sperm, egg and embryo storage,' she added.