Cryobanks can solve infertility problems after chemotherapy

31.07.2014

According to statistics, in most men who have recovered from the lymphoid tumors, fertility is restored after the end of therapy, some of them have infertility is persistent. Therefore, all patients should take care in advance of posterity.

U.S. doctors recommend that all young men with lymphoid tumors (lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and others) who will have treatment with chemotherapeutic agents take care of their offspring in advance. That is, to put in a special cryostorages sperm samples, which can be stored for many years in liquid nitrogen.

In its turn oncologists, who will be caring for these patients, should explain the possible side effects of treatment with anticancer drugs, including persistent infertility and recommend them to freez sperm for future use.

Researchers from Ohio State University observed for nearly 3 years 57 young male patients with Hodgkin's disease, and 18 patients suffering from lymphoid tumors of other types.

Authors analyzed sperm samples obtained from patients before chemotherapy, three months after its completion, as well as 6, 12 and 24 months after treatment ends. In the control group there were 257 men that didn't suffer from cancer.

As the authors report, even before the start of treatment sperm quality of patients was on average worse than in healthy participants.

Treatment of anticancer drugs significantly impaired semen quality of patients, but in between the 3rd and 6th month after the end of treatment there was improvement.

As the authors report, even before the start of treatment sperm quality of patients was on average worse than in healthy participants.

Treatment of anticancer drugs significantly impaired semen quality of patients, but in between the 3rd and 6th month after the end of treatment there was improvement.

It is reported that the recovery of sperm quality to normal values occurred during the 2nd year after completion of treatment (12-24 months later). However, persistent deterioration remained approximately in 7% of patients.

Since it is impossible to predict which of the patients will suffer from side effects of chemotherapy (and in some cases, and radiotherapy) and show maximum, scientists recommend such patients the appropriate age to take care of freezing sperm samples for the future.

Based on: health-ua.org