Ovarian and testicular damage by cytotoxic drugs

The use of cytotoxic drugs has improved the survival figures in malignancies. These drugs exert harmful effects on the tumour cell and normal cells as well. The detrimental effects on gonads were studied in 36 patients who had cytotoxic chemotherapy for various malignancies. In Group I (20 adults in clinical remission after chemotherapy), sterility was noted in 93.7% of men and hundred percent of women experienced irregularly mensus during treatment, 50% of them subsequently developing persistent amenorrhoea. In Group II, (16 adults undergoing chemotherapy) 100% of men had oligospermia, with 75% of them developing azoospermia after 2-3 cycles of treatment. Women also showed similar effect, but were less vulnerable than men.