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Germ cell function and hormonal status in patients with testicular cancer
Author(s) -
Hansen Peter Vejby,
Trykker Henrik,
Andersen Jørn,
Helkjær Poul Erik
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19890815)64:4<956::aid-cncr2820640431>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - medicine , human chorionic gonadotropin , luteinizing hormone , sperm , testosterone (patch) , endocrinology , leydig cell , hormone , follicle stimulating hormone , testicular cancer , gonadotropin , sperm motility , germ cell tumors , germ cell , testicle , andrology , cancer , biology , chemotherapy , biochemistry , gene
Sperm counts, serum gonadotropins, and androgen levels were investigated in 39 seminoma patients and 58 patients with a nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis after unilateral orchiectomy. In 58% of the patients, the total sperm count was below the lower reference value (80 million). A multiregression analysis demonstrated a correlation between a decreased total sperm count and the following three explanatory variables: (1) an elevated serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), (2) a history of chryptorchidism, or (3) a seminomatous tumor. In 42% of the patients, the sperm concentration and the sperm motility met criteria considered sufficient for cryopreservation. Serum follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) was elevated in 33% of the patients. Androgens (serum testosterone [T] or urine 17‐oxy‐steroids [17‐OS]) were subnormal in 5% of the patients, whereas serum luteinizing hormone (LH) was elevated in 14% of the patients without human chorionic gonadotropin β‐subunit (β‐HCG) in serum.