[The sperm quality in young patients before cancer therapy]

Abstract

In the last years increasing incidence of malignant diseases in young men is observed. Sperm cryopreservation before cancer therapy gives the opportunity for these men to have a child in the future, but it is not know whether pretreatment sperm quality is sufficient to preserve fertility potential after thawing. The aim of this study was to compare the semen parameters (volume, total count, concentration, motility, morphology) in young cancer patients before treatment with healthy men, and examining the differences in sperm quality among patients group. Semen specimens were obtained from 81 patients with different neoplasms (testicular cancer n = 65, others n = 16 (Hodgkin's disease n = 11, lymphoma n = 3, Ewing's sarcoma n = 1, osteosarcoma n = l1). Control group consisted of 43 healthy males at similar age that came to our division as potential sperm donors. The total sperm count, concentration per ml, motility (grade A, B and C) and morphology were significantly lower in the cancer patients compared with normal men (p < 0.05), but still adequate for the future assisted reproductive technologies. Patients with testicular neoplasms had only significantly lower total sperm count and concentration in comparison with other cancer patients (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that routine sperm banking should be offered for men before radio/chemotherapy to preserve future fertility.