Effect of chemo- or radiotherapy on sperm parameters of testicular cancer patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The aims of our study were to investigate the short- and long-term effects of chemo- or radiotherapy on spermatogenesis in patients with testicular cancer and to establish any correlation between pre-therapy sperm parameters, histotype and treatment type/intensity and the progress of spermatogenesis during the post-therapy period.

METHODS:

We evaluated 166 patients affected by testicular cancer, who cryobanked about 1 month after the removal of the cancerous testis and before beginning chemo- (CH group; n = 71) or radiotherapy (RT group; n = 95).

RESULTS:

For the CH group, there was a statistically significant decrease in sperm parameters, which was most significant 3 months after the end of chemotherapy. For the RT group, this decrease was most relevant 6 months after the end of radiotherapy. Two years after therapy, 3% of the CH group and 6% of the RT group remained azoospermic. To evaluate whether spermatogenesis recovery is a function of baseline semen quality, we divided each group into two subgroups by pre-therapy total sperm count (A, <40 x 10(6)/ejaculate; B, >or=40 x 10(6)/ejaculate). At t(24), subgroup A of both the CH and RT groups showed improved sperm parameters over the baseline, whereas subgroup B for both CH and RT groups showed a return of sperm parameters to those of baseline values.

CONCLUSIONS:

In conclusion, the recovery of spermatogenesis after chemo- or radiotherapy in our group of testicular cancer patients was not a function of pre-therapy sperm parameter quality. Cryopreservation of sperm before performing such therapy is therefore imperative.

• Authors: Loredana Gandini, Paolo Sgrò, Francesco Lombardo, Donatella Paoli, Franco Culasso, Lucia Toselli, Petros Tsamatropoulos, Andrea Lenzi
• Journal: Human reproduction (Oxford, England) (Hum Reprod) Vol. 21 Issue 11 Pg. 2882-9 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 0268-1161 [Print] England
• PMID: 16997940 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Azoospermia (diagnostic imaging, epidemiology, etiology)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Lymphatic Metastasis
• Male
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Semen (drug effects, radiation effects)
• Spermatozoa (drug effects, radiation effects)
• Testicular Neoplasms (drug therapy, radiotherapy)
• Time Factors