{ "abstract": "Background\n\nFertility preservation (FP) is a critical survivorship issue for young women with cancer, yet gaps persist between guidelines and clinical practice. This study assesses knowledge, attitudes, and unmet needs among women referred for specialist counseling.Methods\n\nAn observational cross-sectional survey was conducted (November 2022 - June 2026) among women referred to a single tertiary oncofertility center in Rome. A Delphi-informed online questionnaire was completed before the clinical visit. Descriptive statistics and exploratory multivariable logistic regression examined post-diagnosis intention.Results\n\nAmong 284 women invited to participate, 260 completed the survey (response rate, 91.5%); 240 patients with a confirmed cancer diagnosis were included in the final analysis (median age, 32 years). Overall, 69.6% were interested in FP, and 94.2% recognized that gonadotoxic treatments could impair fertility. While 89.6% had heard of FP, only half received this information from healthcare professionals, and 24.2% knew of no specific options. Over half reported concerns regarding treatment delay, safety, effectiveness, and cost. Before diagnosis, 73.7% planned to have children; post-diagnosis, positive intention remained common, while those previously without intentions shifted toward uncertainty. In the 188-case model, pre-diagnosis intention showed the strongest association (OR 11.64, 95% CI 4.45-30.48). Given limited model performance (pseudo-R²=0.19), estimates warrant caution.Conclusions\n\nIn this single-center referred cohort, informational gaps and uncertainty remained despite high awareness. Findings confirm and contextualize prior evidence in an Italian tertiary setting and may inform similar referral pathways, but require validation in broader populations.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Woman's and Child Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.", "Infectious Disease Clinic, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.", "Centre for Research and Studies on Procreative Health, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.", "Department of Gynecology, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek-Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.", "Local Health Authority ASST Nord Milano, S. C. Hygienic Sanitary Processes of The Territorial Center Asst Nord Milan, Milan, Italy.", "Department of Women, Mother and Neonate, \"Vittore Buzzi\" Children's Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.", "Clinical Psychology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy.", "Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori 'Giovanni Paolo II', Bari, Italy.", "Obstetrics and Gynecology 1U, Physiopathology of Reproduction and IVF Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Sant Anna Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.", "Regional Oncofertility Center, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy.", "Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Section of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.", "Department of Life Sciences and Public Health Section of Hygiene, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy." ], "article_type": "research article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 14, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Giacomo Corrado" }, { "affs": [ 1, 2 ], "name": "Drieda Zace" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Inge Peters" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Paola Villa" }, { "affs": [ 2, 4 ], "name": "Luigi Petrella" }, { "affs": [ 0, 5 ], "name": "Alessia Barreca" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Lucrezia Massaro" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "Letizia Lafuenti" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "Erica Silvestris" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Stefano Canosa" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Cristina Fabiani" }, { "affs": [ 5, 10 ], "name": "Daniela Rosaria Pia Chieffo" }, { "affs": [ 0, 10 ], "name": "Anna Fagotti" }, { "affs": [ 2, 11 ], "name": "Maria Luisa Di Pietro" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cs4jddyxnkw4r.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.3389/fendo.2026.1926475", "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13684863", "id": "cs4jddyxnkw4r", "issns": [ "1664-2392" ], "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909326", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "2739|Reproductive Biology and Fertility" ] ], "openalex": "W7220737166", "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13684863?pdf=render", "pmcid": "PMC13684863", "pmid": "42909326", "published": "2026-10-06", "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cs4jddyxnkw4r.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:14Z", "native_id": "MED:42909326", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909326" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:20Z", "native_id": "10.3389/fendo.2026.1926475", "source": "crossref", "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2026.1926475/full" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "openalex:2739|Reproductive Biology and Fertility", "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health" } ], "title": "Fertility preservation counselling in women with cancer: knowledge, preferences, and unmet needs from a cross-sectional survey.", "title_text": "Fertility preservation counselling in women with cancer: knowledge, preferences, and unmet needs from a cross-sectional survey.", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:20Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cs4jddyxnkw4r", "venue": "Frontiers in endocrinology", "versions": [] }