Testicular tumors as a possible cause of antisperm autoimmune response

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the presence of antisperm antibodies in testicular cancer patients 1 month after orchiectomy and before radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Design: Clinical study.

Setting: Department of andrology and seminology at a university hospital.

Patient(s): One hundred ninety patients with testicular cancer.

Intervention(s): Determination of semen parameters and autoimmune reaction evaluated on the sperm surface and in blood serum.

Main outcome measure(s): Autoimmune reaction on the sperm surface by the direct immunobead test (IBT), and in blood serum by the indirect IBT and the gelatin agglutination test (GAT), was evaluated 1 month after orchiectomy and before beginning chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Result(s): Of the 190 patients, 11 (5.8%) were positive for antisperm antibody by GAT. On indirect IBT, 3 of the 11 GAT-positive patients were positive to IgG class only, with values of 22%, 24%, and 40%. Of the 11 GAT-positive patients, 4 showed no antibody bound to the sperm surface, and 3 were positive to IgG class only (28%, 21%, and 38%), with binding exclusively on the tail. Direct IBT could not be performed in the remaining 4 patients.

Conclusion(s): Our data support the hypothesis that testicular cancer might not be a possible cause of antisperm autoimmunization and infertility.