Chemotherapy is often associated with
male infertility. Our aim was to determine the effect of
chemotherapy on sperm
chromatin quality in cancer survivors. Sixteen men with advanced
testicular cancer and 15 with
Hodgkin lymphoma requiring
chemotherapy were compared with 11 community volunteers. Eleven idiopathic infertile men with abnormal sperm
chromatin were included as a positive control group. Semen analysis and sperm
chromatin quality were determined prechemotherapy and at 6, 18, and 24 months posttreatment. DNA damage was determined by the sperm
chromatin structure assay (SCSA). The level of
DNA compaction was assayed by determining high
DNA stainability (HDS, SCSA), the percentage of free
thiols (
monobromobimane-labeling assay), and the level of protamination (
chromomycin A3-labeling assay). Sperm concentration and motility were dramatically decreased in
cancer patients 6-18 months after
chemotherapy compared with community volunteers but were not statistically different from community volunteers at 24 months posttreatment. High levels of DNA damage were observed prechemotherapy, with a tendency to remain high during the 24-month posttreatment period in
testicular cancer patients; low
DNA compaction (HDS, SCSA) persisted in
testicular cancer patients 24 months postchemotherapy. Low levels of sperm
DNA compaction were observed in
cancer patients compared with community volunteers and infertile men. Sperm
monobromobimane and
chromomycin A3 labeling in
cancer patients were similar to those from community volunteers by 18 months
after treatment.
Chemotherapy-induced damage to components of the sperm
chromatin structure was repaired differentially over time. However, significant sperm DNA damage and low
DNA compaction remained up to 24 months posttreatment. The assessment of complementary aspects of sperm
chromatin quality is necessary to evaluate sperm samples in cancer survivors.