World J Mens Health.  2015 Apr;33(1):8-13. 10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.1.8.

Semen Analysis in Cancer Patients Referred for Sperm Cryopreservation before Chemotherapy over a 15-Year Period in Korea

• Ku JY
• Park NC
• Jeon TG
• Park HJ

• KMID: 2320734
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.2015.33.1.8

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study evaluated the demographics and semen parameters of males with cancer who banked their sperm prior to chemotherapy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This is a retrospective study of 66 cases referred for sperm banking prior to initiation of chemotherapy over a 15-year period (1999~2014). Patients who had previously received cancer treatment including chemotherapy or radiotherapy were not included in this study.
RESULTS
We studied a total of 66 cancer patients referred for cryopreservation of sperm prior to chemotherapy. The mean age of the patients at the time of banking was 32.0+/-7.9 years (range, 19~58 years). The types of cancer were testicular cancer (31 cases, 47.0%), non-Hodgkin's disease (10 cases, 15.1%), Hodgkin's disease (5 cases, 7.6%), leukemia (8 cases, 12.1%), gastrointestinal malignancy (5 cases, 7.6%), and musculoskeletal malignancy (5 cases, 7.6%). There were significant differences in sperm concentration and viability among the various types of cancer, but no significant difference in semen volume or sperm motility and morphology.
CONCLUSIONS
In this study we found that sperm quality could decrease even before chemotherapy. Because chemotherapy can also negatively affect spermatogenesis, sperm cryopreservation prior to treatment should be strongly recommended for cancer patients of reproductive age.

Keyword

Cryopreservation; Drug therapy; Infertility, male; Semen

MeSH Terms

Cryopreservation*
Demography
Drug Therapy*
Hodgkin Disease
Humans
Infertility, Male
Korea
Leukemia
Male
Radiotherapy
Retrospective Studies
Semen
Semen Analysis*
Sperm Banks
Sperm Motility
Spermatogenesis
Spermatozoa*
Testicular Neoplasms

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