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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Flow Cytometric Analysis of Biomarkers for Detecting Human Sperm Functional Defects
Published on: April 21, 2022
The effect of cancer on sperm DNA fragmentation as measured by the sperm chromatin dispersion test
Marcos Meseguer1, Rebeca Santiso, Nicolás Garrido
1Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Plaza de la Policia Local, 3 Valencia 46015, Spain. marcos.meseguer@ivi.es
Abstract:
The percentage of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA from cancer patients before surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy treatments was compared with infertile male patients in an assisted reproduction program and with sperm donors of proven fertility. The percentages of DNA fragmentation were 34.3% in cancer patients, 30.9% in infertile men whose partners did not become pregnant, 28.8% in men who partners became pregnant, and 10.8% in fertile sperm donors. The DNA fragmentation of sperm donors was statistically significantly lower compared the other groups. No statistically significant differences were found in the levels of DNA fragmentation when comparing cancer types, including those of testicular origin.
Insights
Cancer patients and infertile men show higher sperm DNA fragmentation compared to fertile donors. This DNA damage is a key factor in male infertility and may impact cancer treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Oncology
- Genetics
Background:
- Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is linked to male infertility.
- Cancer treatments can potentially affect sperm DNA integrity.
- Assessing SDF in different male populations is crucial for reproductive health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare SDF levels in cancer patients undergoing treatment with infertile men and fertile sperm donors.
- To investigate if cancer type influences SDF.
- To understand the implications of SDF in male reproductive health.
Main Methods:
- Sperm DNA fragmentation assay.
- Comparative analysis of SDF percentages.
- Statistical evaluation across patient groups and cancer types.
Main Results:
- SDF was significantly higher in cancer patients (34.3%) and infertile men (30.9% and 28.8%) compared to fertile donors (10.8%).
- No significant difference in SDF was observed among different cancer types.
- SDF in infertile men whose partners achieved pregnancy was lower than in those whose partners did not.
Conclusions:
- Cancer patients and infertile men exhibit elevated SDF compared to fertile individuals.
- SDF is a potential biomarker for male infertility and may be influenced by cancer and its treatments.
- Further research is needed to explore the impact of SDF on assisted reproduction outcomes.
