n INTRODUCTION When a child, adolescent, or young adult is diagnosed with cancer, the patient and their family face a number of overwhelming concerns. First and foremost, the patient and their family are focused on surviving the cancer. The survival rate for childhood cancer is now 80% (Lin et al., 2012) and improved survival rates mean that quality of life once treatment is completed is also important. All medications and treatments have the potential for short- and long-term side effects. For example, hair loss during treatment is a common short-term side effect; hair typically grows back after treatment is done. Long-term effects of cancer treat- ment may impact patients for the rest of their lives and may not develop until years after treatment is finished. Every form of treatment has different side effects, and the patient’s age, gender, treatment strategy, health prior to treatment, and previous treatments all play into whether a patient experiences a side effect, and the degree of the side effect. Your healthcare team will provide you with education materials and information regarding the potential short- and long-term side effects of your child’s treatment. Many families are concerned that treatment may affect their child’s ability to have chil- dren as an adult, but most childhood cancer survivors will not struggle with infertility. For those patients who are at risk for infertility due to treatment, there may be options to save fertility. If possible, it is best to explore these options before treatment begins, though some options may be available even after treatment is complete. Sexual and reproductive health is an uncomfortable topic for many families. When thinking about saving your child’s fertility, your family should consider religious and cultural beliefs, financial considerations, and your child’s maturity. This handbook is an information guide for your family to use when discussing fertility issues with your oncol- ogy healthcare team or with a reproductive healthcare provider. This information may be helpful during or after treatment and as the cancer survivor grows into adulthood. The doctors caring for children with cancer work hard to lessen the effects of treat- ment on a child’s normal growth and development; all children treated for cancer will respond differently to their treatment.
n NORMAL PUBERTY MALES
The testes are the primary reproductive organs in males and are responsible for mak- ing hormones that help the body make sperm. Prior to puberty, the testes do not make hormones and sperm. The body starts making the hormone testosterone when puber- ty begins, usually between the ages of 9 and 16 years. Testosterone is responsible for
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