NMR Metabolomics Study of Follicular Fluid of Oncological Patients

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible application of metabolomics to identify follicular fluid changes in cancer patients undergoing fertility preservation. Although metabolomics have been applied already in cancer studies, this is the first application on follicular fluid of cancer patients.

Methods: The investigators selected for the study 10 patients with breast cancer and lymphoma who resorted to oocyte cryopreservation to preserve fertility and 10 healthy women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatments. Follicular fluid was collected at the time of oocytes retrieval. Metabolomic analysis of follicular fluids was performed by 1H NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate analysis to interpret the spectral data. Univariate statistical analysis was applied to find correlations between patients' features and metabolites identified by NMR.

Inclusion criteria

• all nulliparous patients who want to have offspring, with a cancer diagnosis obtained by histological examination and with a definitive staging of the disease.

Exclusion criteria

• patients with suspected cancer diagnosis without histological examination and complete staging and women suffering of any cancer that received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy prior to follicular fluid collection.