Sperm cryopreservation in adolescents with newly diagnosed cancer

BACKGROUND: Referring male patients (pts) for pretreatment sperm cryopreservation (SCP) is a routine practice in adult oncology. Our aim was to evaluate the semen quality and feasibility of sperm cryopreservation in male adolescents diagnosed with cancer prior to the commencement of treatment. METHODS: All consecutive adolescents from 14 to 19 years of age with newly diagnosed cancer were referred to this study. The following parameters of semen analysis were investigated: (1) volume of collected sample (N >or= 2.0 ml); (2) total sperm concentration (N >or= 20 x 10(6)/ml); (3) percentage of motile spermatozoa (N >or= 50%). The results were compared with normal values characteristic of healthy young men. RESULTS: Sixty-two attempts to collect sperm were made by the 27 adolescents. Of the 40/62 (64.5%) attempts, which resulted in a normal sperm count in each sample, only nine (22.5%) demonstrated normal sperm motility. Only 9/62 (14.5%) attempts resulted in normal sperm motility. Nineteen of 62 (30.6%) attempts produced a normal volume of ejaculate, while three pts were unable to produce any sperm. Only 4/62 (6.5%) attempts produced semen that could be considered normal in all the parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Only a minority of adolescents newly diagnosed with cancer is able to produce sperm that can be considered normal, compared with healthy young men. Despite this, SCP should be offered and is a technically feasible procedure for these patients in light of the recent advances in assisted reproductive technologies. Further studies are required to develop treatment protocols for this group of pts to lessen damage to fertility function.