Male reproductive health after childhood cancer

AIM: Twenty-five male patients were investigated to elucidate the correlation of semen parameters and other related parameters in the assessment of spermatogenesis after childhood cancer treatment. METHODS: Evaluation of given cancer treatment, anthropometric and testicular size measurements, semen analysis, and measurement of gonadotrophins, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and inhibin B were performed according to a protocol. RESULTS: Median (range) sperm concentration (SC) was 35.5 (0-273)x10(6)/mL, and percentage of motile sperm 56 (0-86)%. Testicular size (r=0.73, p<0.001) and the level of inhibin B (r=0.66, p<0.001) correlated strongly to SC. SC correlated negatively to FSH (r=0.46, p=0.03). Only testicular size predicted SC significantly (p=0.03). Inhibin B showed highest area under ROC curve (0.83, 95%CI 0.67-0.99) in showing SC<20x10(6)/mL. Body mass index (BMI) did not correlate with SC, but negative correlation between BMI and SHBG was found (r=-0.41, p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Although semen analysis is a useful instrument for fertility assessment in men, it is often difficult to get these samples from childhood cancer survivors. Thus, indirect methods are needed in prediction of possible sperm count impairment in postpubertal adolescents after cancer treatment. When combined with the data on testicular size and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level, inhibin B gives valuable addition to the estimations of spermatogenesis.     

10例 60 Co源辐射事故受照者眼晶状体的随访观察

目的 观察 ⁶⁰Co源辐射事故对受照者眼晶状体的远后效应。方法 对河南省1986年至2000年期间发生的4起⁶⁰Co源辐射事故共10例受照者进行眼晶状体远期医学观察。用复方托吡卡胺充分散瞳后在裂隙灯下检查眼晶状体,记录病变特征。结果 开封事故中"亮"、新乡事故中"梅"分别于照后2、3年出现典型放射性白内障;许昌事故中"许",照后6年出现典型放射性白内障;开封事故中"燕"、郑州事故中"杰"、新乡事故中"天"、"勇"、"义"照后随访观察仅出现双眼晶状体后囊下少量点状、颗粒状浑浊等放射性白内障的初期改变,未观察到典型放射性白内障的形态特点;新乡事故中"旺"、"民"则未观察到晶状体后囊下的浑浊。结论 眼晶状体是辐射事故受照者远期随访观察应重点关注的靶器官。电离辐射致眼晶状体浑浊的发展程度与照射剂量密切相关。     

河南“4.26”60Co源辐射事故受照者照后20年医学随访

目的 通过对1999年河南省"4.26"⁶⁰Co源辐射事故受照者照后20年医学随访观察，探讨电离辐射远后效应，为放射医学研究提供实证资料。方法 收集5名受照者的临床症状、体征、眼科检查及患病史；实验室检查包括常规检查项目、体液免疫和T淋巴细胞亚群指标、甲状腺功能、生殖激素水平、肿瘤标志物、辐射遗传学指标等；器械检查包括腹部彩超、甲状腺彩超、心脏彩超、颈动脉彩超、生殖系统彩超、心电图、胸部CT等。结果 "梅"照后2~3年出现放射性白内障早期典型的形态特点，照后13年行左眼白内障摘除人工晶状体植入手术治疗，此次随访右眼视力眼前指数/10 cm，后囊下较厚，近似锅巴样浑浊，2019年11月行右眼白内障摘除人工晶状体植入术。"旺"、"天"、"民"、"义"均出现双眼后囊下或赤道部不同程度浑浊；"梅"照后7年至今心电图均提示心肌缺血改变，"天"照后12年确诊"冠心病"，照后20年行"冠状动脉造影心脏支架植入手术"，5名受照者均出现血清总胆固醇和（或）甘油三脂增高，4名受照者出现双侧（或单侧）颈总动脉粥样斑块形成；"梅"受照后11年至今促甲状腺素（TSH）水平持续偏高，"义"甲状腺球蛋白抗体（TGA）、甲状腺微粒体抗体（TMA）明显增高，甲状腺实质回声不均，"梅"、"民"照后15年发现甲状腺结节；"天"照后13年确诊为"弥漫性大B细胞非霍奇金淋巴瘤"，化疗后目前病情缓解；肿瘤标志物检测"天"、"民"、"义"神经元特异性烯醇化酶（NSE）均稍偏高，"天"胸部CT提示右肺中叶小结节；5名受照者外周血淋巴细胞染色体畸变分析以易位（t）改变为主（t率≥0.5%），"旺"、"天"可见少量双着丝粒体（dic）或无着丝粒断片（ace）。结论 电离辐射照射可导致受照者眼晶状体、甲状腺、心血管循环系统等不同程度的确定性效应及发生肿瘤等随机性效应，遗传损伤可长期存在于受照者体内。     

224Ra-induced osteopenia in male CBA mice

Summary Six groups of young adult, male mice were injected with six dose levels of the bone-seeking, α-emitting radionuclide²²⁴Ra (half-life 3.6 days); a seventh group was injected with saline alone. The administered doses were relatively low, ranging from 2 to 64 kBq per animal. The mice were maintained under standard laboratory conditions until they either died or became moribund, when they were killed. The mean ages at death of the experimental groups were not significantly different from the normal control group. Individual bones—the mandible, partetal, nasal, and bulla—were isolated and standard liner measurements and dry weights were obtained. In all measurements considered, the highest two administered amounts (32 and 64 kBq) caused a significant reduction relative to controls. Low power microscopy of the mandible revealed osteonecrosis in the high dose groups. This is similar to the condition of “radium jaw” which has been described as a late effect of either accidental ingestion of therapeutic administration of²²⁶Ra (half-life, 1,620 years) in man; the other bones did not show obvious osteonecrosis. This work emphasizes the long-term osteopenic effects of low-dose radium, even in the short-lived species²²⁴Ra. It also provides a method of quantifying the osteopenic effect of bone-seeking radionuclides.