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11/08/2016
The research, which has been carried out by a team at the University of Edinburgh, found that a drug known as etoposide can damage the development of mouse ovary tissue grown in the lab. The drug affects specialised cells – known as germ cells – which give rise to eggs.
A woman's reproductive lifespan is determined before birth, while the ovaries are developing in the womb. The second and third trimesters are particularly important as that is when female germ cells form structures called follicles that determine how many eggs she will be able to release in her lifetime.
For the research, scientists looked at the effects of etoposide treatment on the development of mouse ovary tissue grown in the lab and discovered that treatment before the follicles had developed wiped out up to 90% of the germ cells. This included doses that are low relative to those given to patients. In addition, treatment after the follicles were developed had no significant adverse effects.
While the experts said that further research is needed to see if the drug has similar effects on human tissue, they added that their findings mean that affected baby girls should be warned in later life that they might undergo an early menopause.
Professor Norah Spears, Lead Researcher, of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Integrative Physiology, said: "If the results we have seen in these mouse studies are replicated in human tissue, it could mean that girls born to mums who are taking etoposide during pregnancy have a reduced fertility window."
Around one in 1,000 pregnant women are diagnosed with cancer. While doctors and patients have to make difficult decisions to try and save the lives of both mother and baby, etoposide is used to treat several types of cancer.
It is considered safe for use in the second and third trimester of pregnancy as it has a low risk of miscarriage and birth defects. However, not a lot is known about the longer term effects of the drug on the unborn baby later in life.
The study has been published in the journal BMC Cancer. It was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
(JP/MH)
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Chemo Drug Could Affect Girls' Future Fertility – Study
A new study has suggested that a chemotherapy treatment could affect the future fertility of unborn baby girls.The research, which has been carried out by a team at the University of Edinburgh, found that a drug known as etoposide can damage the development of mouse ovary tissue grown in the lab. The drug affects specialised cells – known as germ cells – which give rise to eggs.
A woman's reproductive lifespan is determined before birth, while the ovaries are developing in the womb. The second and third trimesters are particularly important as that is when female germ cells form structures called follicles that determine how many eggs she will be able to release in her lifetime.
For the research, scientists looked at the effects of etoposide treatment on the development of mouse ovary tissue grown in the lab and discovered that treatment before the follicles had developed wiped out up to 90% of the germ cells. This included doses that are low relative to those given to patients. In addition, treatment after the follicles were developed had no significant adverse effects.
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While the experts said that further research is needed to see if the drug has similar effects on human tissue, they added that their findings mean that affected baby girls should be warned in later life that they might undergo an early menopause.
Professor Norah Spears, Lead Researcher, of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Integrative Physiology, said: "If the results we have seen in these mouse studies are replicated in human tissue, it could mean that girls born to mums who are taking etoposide during pregnancy have a reduced fertility window."
Around one in 1,000 pregnant women are diagnosed with cancer. While doctors and patients have to make difficult decisions to try and save the lives of both mother and baby, etoposide is used to treat several types of cancer.
It is considered safe for use in the second and third trimester of pregnancy as it has a low risk of miscarriage and birth defects. However, not a lot is known about the longer term effects of the drug on the unborn baby later in life.
The study has been published in the journal BMC Cancer. It was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
(JP/MH)
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