July 2014

Register for the 2014 Oncofertility Consortium Conference!

The 8th annual Oncofertility Consortium Conference is just over a month away! This conference attracts more than 150 researchers, clinicians, advocates, and trainees from around the globe who are dedicated to ensuring reproductive health for cancer survivors whose disease or treatment may impair fertility. This year’s conference, Bench to Bedside: Oncofertility Advances in Males and Females, features an exciting agenda including talks from experts in the field, breakout sessions, and hands-on lab training courses.

Slim Down to Reduce Hot Flashes

Losing weight has been linked to numerous health benefits, but new research now shows another, added bonus: weight loss may also help to reduce the number of hot flashes in menopausal women.

A study recently published online in the journal of The North American Menopause Society, followed 40 overweight or obese women with hot flashes. The women represented in the study were both white and African-American. Hot flashes were assessed prior to and after the weight loss. The study confirmed that weight loss can hot flashes are associated, and a greater degree of weight loss is correlated with a degree of reduction in hot flashes.

Oncofertility and Pediatric Oncology

National Physicians Cooperative member Leslie Appiah, MD, was featured in this month’s issue of MD Update. Dr. Appiah is an active member of the NPC and is also the Director of Oncofertility at the University of Kentucky, which she recently established at the university. This is the second Oncofertility site she has establishedScreen Shot 2014-07-28 at 12.03.53 PM. In 2006, while working at Cinncinati Children’s Hospital, Dr. Appiah built their oncofertility program as well. Dr.

Adoption and Oncofertility: Another Option for Cancer Survivors

A recent feature in Cure magazine discusses adoption as another option for cancer survivors who want to build a family. Each patient is unique. The impact of a given treatment on fertility can vary and so can the time available before starting life saving treatments. Patient age, marital status, personal wishes, religious and cultural constraints and prognosis may all affect decision making. While some patients may lose reproductive function as a result of their treatment, third-party reproductive options are available for survivors.  This article explores adoption as one of the many options for patients and gives a better understanding of the adoptive process including costs and potential pitfalls and challenges patients may face. To read the story in its entirety, please click here.

Top 20 Articles in Reproduction and Endocrinology

Dr. Woodruff’s article “Reproductive endocrinology: fertility in female survivors of childhood cancer” was recently listed as one of the top 20 articles in the field of reproduction and endocrinology since 2013. This article was listed at the 8th most influential in the list of 20. Dr. Woodruff’s impact in the field of reproduction and endocrinology remains clear and she joins of the likes of other highly influential scholars on the list. Congratulations to Dr. Woodruff for this honor!

The entire list is now available on the website and can be accessed here.

Congresswoman Schakowsky cites WHRI in testimony

On July 12, Janet Woodcock, MD, Director, Center for Drug Evaluation & Research at the FDA appeared before the Subcommittee on Health of the Congressional Energy and Commerce Committee.  Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (pictured) questioned the Director about the inclusion of equal number of women in drug studies that are often male biased.   The  Women’s Health Research Institute at Northwestern provided background information for the Congresswoman on the topic which she acknowledged.