Soon after a boy or man is diagnosed with cancer, his doctor is likely to address the impact treatment may have on his fertility. To protect his ability to father children in the future, sperm can be collected and frozen indefinitely. Sperm extraction and testicular tissue freezing are other options, explains andrologist Kazim Chohan, PhD. With assistance from pediatric cancer doctor Jody Sima, MD, and others, Chohan has launched the Male Fertility Preservation Program at Upstate. Sperm samples are individually sealed and kept in frozen storage until a patient -- who may also be a male who has had a vasectomy or who must be away from home for an extended period -- decides he wants to start a family, using assisted reproductive technology. Chohan and Sima also touch on female fertiity preservation issues.