Abstract
Background
As cancer therapy can be harmful to spermatogenesis, men are generally advised to cryopreserve sperm before gonadotoxic treatment. Here, we compared fresh and frozen-thawed sperm quality in patients according to cancer type, and reported use rate in subsequent assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles.
Methods
This retrospective analysis of a sperm cryopreservation program in all men suffering from cancer was conducted at the University Hospital of Nantes between 1997 and 2007.
Results
A total of 1042 men were referred for sperm cryopreservation during this period (438 testicular cancer, 184 other solid cancers, 278 lymphoma and 142 other haematological malignancies). A total of 2577 ejaculates from 1009 men were studied. Sperm characteristics and sperm sensitivity to the freezing process varied according to the cancer type. Frozen sperm was used in 82 patients, with 112 in vitro fertilization and 66 intrauterine insemination cycles performed, leading to a clinical pregnancy rate per cycle of 23.2 and 12%, respectively.
Conclusion
Sperm quality and motility alteration during the freezing process can differ according to the type of cancer, but sperm frozen before gonadotoxic treatment in cancer patients can be successfully used in ART.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Magelssen H, Brydoy M, Fossa SD (2006) The effects of cancer and cancer treatments on male reproductive function. Nat Clin Pract Urol 3:312–322
Lass A, Akagbosu F, Brinsden P (2001) Sperm banking and assisted reproduction treatment for couples following cancer treatment of the male partner. Hum Reprod Update 7:370–377
Ragni G, Somigliana E, Restelli L et al (2003) Sperm banking and rate of assisted reproduction treatment: insights from a 15-year cryopreservation program for male cancer patients. Cancer 97:1624–1629
Agarwal A, Allamaneni SS (2005) Disruption of spermatogenesis by the cancer disease process. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 34:9–12
O’Flaherty C, Vaisheva F, Hales BF et al (2008) Characterization of sperm chromatin quality in testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients prior to chemotherapy. Hum Reprod 23:1044–1052
van Casteren NJ, van Santbrink EJ, van Inzen W et al (2008) Use rate and assisted reproduction technologies outcome of cryopreserved semen from 629 cancer patients. Fertil Steril 90:2245–2250
World Health Organization (1999) WHO laboratory manual for the examination of human sperm and sperm-cervical mucus interaction, 4th edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Anger JT, Gilbert BR, Goldstein M (2003) Cryopreservation of sperm: indications, methods and results. J Urol 170:1079–1084
Colpi GM, Colpi EM, Castiglioni F et al (2004) Semen cryopreservation from oncological patients: the Italian experience. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 5(Suppl 1):S12–S13
Hallak J, Kolettis PN, Sekhon VS et al (1999) Sperm cryopreservation in patients with testicular cancer. Urology 54:894–899
Rofeim O, Gilbert BR (2004) Normal semen parameters in cancer patients presenting for cryopreservation before gonadotoxic therapy. Fertil Steril 82:505–506
Lass A, Akagbosu F, Abusheikha N et al (1998) A programme of semen cryopreservation for patients with malignant disease in a tertiary infertility centre: lessons from 8 years’ experience. Hum Reprod 13:3256–3261
Meseguer M, Molina N, García-Velasco JA et al (2006) Sperm cryopreservation in oncological patients: a 14-year follow-up study. Fertil Steril 85:640–645
Padron OF, Sharma RK, Thomas AJ Jr et al (1997) Effects of cancer on spermatozoa quality after cryopreservation: a 12-year experience. Fertil Steril 67:326–331
Williams DH 4th, Karpman E, Sander JC et al (2009) Pretreatment semen parameters in men with cancer. J Urol 181:736–740
Shekarriz M, Tolentino MV Jr, Ayzman I et al (1995) Cryopreservation and semen quality in patients with Hodgkin’s disease. Cancer 1:2732–2736
Arnoldi M, Somigliana E, Paffoni A et al (2004) Reproductive prognosis in male cancer patients with azoospermia at the time of the diagnosis of malignancy. Hum Reprod Suppl 1:i24
Hendry WF, Stedronska J, Jones CR et al (1983) Semen analysis in testicular cancer and Hodgkin’s disease: pre- and post-treatment findings and implications for cryopreservation. Br J Urol 55:769–773
Girasole CR, Cookson MS, Smith JA Jr et al (2007) Sperm banking: use and outcomes in patients treated for testicular cancer. BJU Int 99:33–36
Sanger WG, Olson JH, Sherman JK (1992) Semen cryobanking for men with cancer—criteria change. Fertil Steril 58:1024–1027
Agarwal A, Tolentino MV Jr, Sidhu RS et al (1995) Effect of cryopreservation on semen quality in patients with testicular cancer. Urology 46:382–389
Crha I, Ventruba P, Zakova J et al (2009) Survival and infertility treatment in male cancer patients after sperm banking. Fertil Steril 91:2344–2348
Hourvitz A, Goldschlag DE, Davis OK et al (2008) Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) using cryopreserved sperm from men with malignant neoplasm yields high pregnancy rates. Fertil Steril 90:557–563
Kelleher S, Wishart SM, Liu PY et al (2001) Long-term outcomes of elective human sperm cryostorage. Hum Reprod 16:2632–2639
Rosenlund B, Sjöblom P, Törnblom M et al (1998) In vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the treatment of infertility after testicular cancer. Hum Reprod 13:414–418
Schmidt KL, Larsen E, Bangsbøll S et al (2004) Assisted reproduction in male cancer survivors: fertility treatment and outcome in 67 couples. Hum Reprod 19:2806–2810
Conflict of interest
All authors confirm that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Freour, T., Mirallie, S., Jean, M. et al. Sperm banking and assisted reproductive outcome in men with cancer: a 10 years’ experience. Int J Clin Oncol 17, 598–603 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-011-0330-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10147-011-0330-3