Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Vitrification: Clinical and Laboratory Perspectives
Published on: September 16, 2021
Male fertility preservation and cancer treatment
Elizabeth Puscheck1, Philip A Philip, Rajasingam S Jeyendran
1Division of Reproductive Endocrine and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, MI, USA. epuschec@med.wayne.edu
Abstract:
The diagnosis of cancer in men or women leads to prompt evaluation of the extent of the cancer, its treatment, and subsequent prognosis. However, relatively little emphasis is placed on fertility following the completion of therapy. As the effectiveness of cancer treatment has improved, men can enjoy a longer life that is free of cancer. However, chemotherapeutic regimens alone or in combination with radiation therapy frequently result in azoospermia or infertility. This paper reviews available methods to maintain male fertility in patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Certain chemotherapeutic agents that are less likely to cause azoospermia may be incorporated into potentially curative therapies. Hormonal suppression applied early (prior to) and during chemotherapy may protect future male fertility. Alternatively, cryopreservation of sperm enables men to reproduce in the future with the assistance of in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Therefore, oncologists need to discuss male fertility preservation before initiating cancer treatment in reproductive-aged men. The emphasis for future cancer treatment and its research regarding male fertility preservation needs further attention.
Related Concept Videos
Infertility in Males
Spermatogenesis
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra. Symptoms...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...

