Successful Fertility Preservation Using Ex vivo Oocyte Retrieval and Transportation in a Case of Stage IB3 Cervical Cancer with a Risk of Ovarian Metastasis

This case involved a 31-year-old woman with stage IB3 cervical cancer and suspected obturator lymph node metastasis. The cervical tumor size exceeded 4 cm. Ex vivo oocyte retrieval was performed to avoid puncturing the tumor during transvaginal oocyte retrieval, although this has not been reported previously in cervical cancer cases. Bilateral ovarian removal was performed to minimize the risk of ovarian metastasis. After oncofertility counseling, the patient selected oocyte and embryo cryopreservation. Following ovarian stimulation, her ovaries were surgically removed during a radical hysterectomy and transported to the fertility clinic at [Formula: see text]C–[Formula: see text]C for 1 hour. Ex vivo retrieval yielded 12 mature oocytes. Six mature oocytes were cryopreserved, and three 5-cell embryos (Day 2) were vitrified. The procedure had no adverse impact on cancer treatment, demonstrating that ex vivo oocyte retrieval could be a feasible fertility preservation strategy in cervical cancer cases requiring ovarian removal.