OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the incidence and timing of ovarian dysfunction/damage in younger premenopausal women undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy for cancer.
* Determine the feasibility of a prospective, randomized study to assess if gonadotropin analogues can protect the ovary from the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy.
* Determine the number of patients required for adequate power to test the hypothesis.
OUTLINE: This is a pilot, prospective study.
Patients undergo a transvaginal or transabdominal ultrasound to measure the ovarian volume and count the number of antral follicles at baseline, 3 months after beginning cytotoxic chemotherapy, and at 6 months after completion of treatment. Patients undergo blood collection at the same time points for follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and inhibin B levels. Patients are also asked to fill out questionnaires on estrogen-depletion symptoms at those times. Patients also keep a calendar of menstrual bleeding and hormonal medications.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 22 patients will be accrued for this study.
