Eggs and sperms desired to be cryopreserved by young cancer patients 7,000 per year estimated at 21:25 on November 3
It is estimated that about 7,000 young cancer patients wish to cryopreserve eggs, sperms, etc. annually to leave the possibility of having children after cancer treatment with financial support. Was compiled by a research group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
The estimation was made by a research group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare created by Professor Tadashi Suzuki of St. Marianna University School of Medicine.
Young cancer patients may become infertile due to side effects when receiving anticancer drugs or radiation therapy, and cryopreservation of eggs and sperms is an important means to leave the possibility of having children in the future, but it is expensive. The problem is that it costs a lot.
The research group estimated the number of patients who wish to cryopreserve eggs and sperms based on data such as the number of cancer patients under the age of 40 and the number of patients who actually cryopreserved eggs. ..
As a result, about 4,400 men and women wish to cryopreserve eggs and sperms with financial support, and 2,400 married women who desire cryopreservation of fertilized eggs, totaling about 7,000 per year. It means that it is expected to rise to people.
If all the costs for these patients are covered by public funds, the total amount will vary depending on the number of cryopreservations, but it is estimated to be between 2 billion yen and 3.95 billion yen annually.
Professor Tadashi Suzuki of St. Marianna University School of Medicine said that not all patients can be cryopreserved because cancer treatment is prioritized. "Medically, even patients who can be cryopreserved must give up due to financial barriers. The current situation is that some patients are unable to survive. Patients
who believe in their future potential and wish to cryopreserve need national support. "
Patients who gave up freezing eggs
Yukako Inoue (39), who lives in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, underwent surgery for breast cancer four years ago at the age of 35.
After the surgery, I needed anti-cancer drug treatment, but I learned that the side effects of the treatment could make me unable to have children.
Inoue, who wanted to retain the possibility of having children in the future, considered cryopreserving eggs.
However, the barrier was high cost.
Mr. Inoue covered the cost of cancer treatment while continuing to work, but he was also financially worried because of the transportation and accommodation costs to hospitals in Tokyo and Hiroshima.
It was estimated that the cryopreservation of eggs would cost an additional nearly one million yen, but there was no official subsidy at that time.
I talked with my doctor, but I couldn't put off the treatment for cancer, so I was forced to make a choice, and after worrying, I gave up saving the eggs.
Four years after that, Mr. Inoue's cancer treatment has been proceeding smoothly, but I am still wondering if the choice at that time was correct.
Mr. Inoue said, "At that time, I was diagnosed with cancer, and suddenly I was faced with many problems such as pregnancy, work, and money, and I could not consult with anyone. Until just before I died. I think that the desire to have a child will never disappear. "
Mr. Inoue thinks that if financial support spreads and the burden on patients is reduced as much as possible, the number of patients who have the same problems as themselves will decrease.
Mr. Inoue said, "Whether or not to preserve reproductive function is a big decision for patients, and if there is a subsidy for that, I think that the burden on patients can be cleared. There are options for patients to make their own decisions. You should increase it. "
Public support varies from region to region
The government is currently aiming to expand insurance coverage for infertility treatment and has indicated that it will continue to support it by significantly expanding its subsidy system.
On the other hand, there is no national uniform support for cryopreservation of eggs and sperms to leave the possibility of young cancer patients having children after treatment, and the current situation is that there are differences depending on the region.
Cryopreservation of eggs and sperms of cancer patients is not covered by public insurance, and it costs about 50,000 yen to store sperms and about 400,000 to 1 million yen to store eggs and ovaries. It has been with.
In order to increase the probability of pregnancy, it is necessary to cryopreserve eggs multiple times, which is said to actually increase the burden.
In response to this situation, more and more local governments have set up their own systems to subsidize part of the necessary expenses to provide financial support, but by last month they had set up such a subsidy system. There are only 21 prefectures and 4 cities nationwide.
Local governments that do not have a system must pay the full amount at their own expense.
In a survey three years ago, about 20% of patients abandoned cryopreservation for financial reasons, and there were calls for assistance from the government.