[Morphofunctional characteristics of male gonads in cancer of different localization]

Morphological and histochemical changes in the genital organs in 62 men, who had died of cancer of various localizations, and those in the testes in 65 practically healthy men aged 30-90 years, who had died of various causes, (controls), were studied. The studies conducted showed that changes in the male gonads in cancer of various localizations were similar to involutional ones, the former, however, were more pronounced and occurred in younger men. It was established that the functional activity of granulocytes in cancer dropped,whereas the activity of sustentocytes remained at a high level. This was one of the causes of impairment of the hormonal balance in the organism of a patient, cancer carrier, and of inhibition of the spermatogenesis activity. The degree and depth of changes depended on the stage and duration of the disease, localization of tumours was of no significance.