Quality standard
Quality statement 7: Fertility support
Quality statement 7: Fertility support
Quality statement
Children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) with cancer are assessed for potential future fertility problems and advised about their options for fertility preservation before treatment is started.
Rationale
The late effects of cancer treatment are well-recognised and involve most organ systems. Approximately 15% of patients have a high risk of future fertility problems because of their cancer treatment. Children and young people with cancer and their parents or carers should have the risks discussed with them and be advised about their options for fertility preservation before cancer treatment starts.
Quality measures
The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.
Structure
Evidence of local arrangements to ensure that children and young people (0 to 24 years) with cancer are assessed for potential future fertility problems and advised about their options for fertility preservation before treatment is started.
Data source: Evidence can be collected from information recorded locally by provider organisations, for example from clinical pathways.
Process
The proportion of children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) with cancer who are assessed for potential future fertility problems and advised about their options for fertility preservation before treatment is started.
Numerator – the number of people in the denominator who are assessed for potential future fertility problems before treatment and are advised about their options for fertility preservation.
Denominator – the number of children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) diagnosed with cancer.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from patient records.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers ensure that processes are in place for children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) with cancer to be assessed for potential future fertility problems and advised about their options for fertility preservation before treatment for cancer is started.
Healthcare professionals ensure that children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) with cancer are assessed for potential future fertility problems before treatment for cancer is started and are advised about their options for fertility preservation.
Commissioners ensure they commission services that assess children and young people (aged 0 to 24 years) with cancer for potential future fertility problems before they start cancer treatment and advise them about their options for fertility preservation.
Children and young people with cancer have the risk of future fertility problems caused by their cancer or its treatment assessed before their treatment is started, and are given advice about their options for freezing some sperm, eggs or embryos for use at a later date (called cryopreservation).
Source guidance
Improving outcomes in children and young people with cancer. NICE guideline CSG7 (2005), Long-term sequelae: page 78, paragraph 8
Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. NICE guideline CG156 (2013, updated 2017), recommendation 1.16.1.2