Semen parameters and testicular pathology in men with testicular cancer and contralateral carcinoma in situ or bilateral testicular malignancies

We evaluated 14 patients with bilateral testicular tumour, one-sided tumourand contralateral carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the testis or testis tumour insingle testis with respect to their fertility. We analysed semenparameters, serum hormones [follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizinghormone (LH) and testosterone], testicular sonography, testicular volumesand testicular histology prior to further anti-cancer treatment. Ten out of14 patients showed normal or reduced sperm concentrations, while 4/14patients were azoospermic. Serum FSH levels showed a significant negativecorrelation with sperm concentrations in patients with testicularmalignancies (r = -0.64, P = 0.025). Testicular volumes revealed asignificant positive correlation with semen parameters in patients withtestes that were affected by CIS (r = 0.733, P = 0.038). We conclude thateven bilateral testicular cancer and/or CIS do not preclude fertility and,therefore, patients should be offered andrological investigation andtherapy, including possibly surveillance strategy or the chance forcryopreservation of the semen prior to further treatment in order topreserve their chances for paternity.