J Korean Soc Menopause.  2013 Aug;19(2):93-100.

GnRH Agonist Co-treatment for Prevention of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Undergoing Chemotherapy

• Chun S
• Ji YI
• Joo YD

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist co-treatment for gonadal protection in patients with hematologic neoplasms undergoing chemotherapy.
METHODS
Young premenopausal women who were diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma between March 2010 and February 2012 and undergoing chemotherapy in a university hospital were included in this study.
RESULTS
Twenty-nine patients aged 15.39 years participated in this study. Among the patients, five patients were receiving leuprolide concomitant with chemotherapy, and twenty-four patients were receiving chemotherapy alone. Seventeen patients in the chemotherapy alone group stopped menstrating and were diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) within one year after chemotherapy; and only one patient had POI in the chemotherapy plus leuprolide group, but these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.054). In the chemotherapy plus leuprolide group, serum anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels were significantly lower than basal serum AMH levels (5.57 +/- 0.18 ng/mL) (P < 0.001) after treatment (1.84 +/- 0.22 ng/mL).
CONCLUSION
GnRH agonist may be a promising option for the prevention of POF, but the effectiveness of GnRH agonist is still debatable. A large prospective multi-center trial with adequate follow-up is needed.

Keyword

Anti-mullerian hormone; Chemotherapy; GnRH agonist; Hematologic neoplasms; Primary ovarian insufficiency

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anti-Mullerian Hormone
Female
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Gonads
Hematologic Neoplasms
Humans
Leukemia
Leuprolide
Lymphoma
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
Anti-Mullerian Hormone
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Leuprolide

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Flow chart of study participants. POI: primary ovarian insufficiency

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