Open AccessFertility preservation and pregnancy outcomes in adolescent and young adult male patients with cancer
Author(s) -
Ukita Yuji,
Wakimoto Yu,
Sugiyama Yukiko,
Fujii Yuta,
Fukui Atsushi,
Hasegawa Akiko,
Kondoh Nobuyuki,
Yamamoto Shingo,
Shibahara Hiroaki
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
reproductive medicine and biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.005
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1447-0578
pISSN - 1445-5781
DOI - 10.1002/rmb2.12211
Subject(s) - fertility preservation , fertility , sperm bank , medicine , azoospermia , infertility , sperm , gynecology , male infertility , cancer , semen cryopreservation , young adult , cryopreservation , testicular cancer , pregnancy , andrology , sperm motility , biology , population , embryo , environmental health , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology
Purpose Sperm cryopreservation is the gold standard for maintaining fertility in male survivors of cancer. In order to help increase the future success of fertility preservation in these patients, the present state of sperm cryopreservation was examined at the current institution and its challenges were discussed. Methods Between January, 2004 and February, 2017, 31 male patients with cancer were introduced to the center for fertility preservation. The ages and semen characteristics of these patients were examined and compared between those whose sperm were cryopreserved before (the pretreatment group) and after (the post‐treatment group) cancer treatment. Results The mean sperm concentration of the pretreatment group was significantly higher than that of the post‐treatment group. Normozoospermia was found in eight and three patients in the pretreatment and the post‐treatment groups, respectively, albeit this difference was not significant. In contrast, the prevalence of azoospermia was higher in the post‐treatment group (five patients) than in the pretreatment group (one patient). Conclusion As many patients possibly suffer from infertility following chemotherapy, it is necessary to provide fertility preservation opportunities to young male patients with cancer prior to the commencement of cancer treatment.