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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Vitrification: Clinical and Laboratory Perspectives
Published on: September 16, 2021
Barriers for sperm cryopreservation in advanced germ cell tumor patients: a 20-year experience
Katsuhiro Ito1,2, Kentaro Ichioka2, Sachiko Dahal3
1Department of Urology, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin Kawaharacho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 6068507, Japan.
Background:
This study aimed to investigate barriers to sperm cryopreservation for patients with advanced germ cell tumors.
Methods:
We reviewed data collected from patients who underwent chemotherapy for advanced germ cell tumors in our institutions from 1996 to 2016. We divided sperm cryopreservation procedures into three steps: offering information about sperm cryopreservation, patients' decision making and sperm collection, and investigating the barriers in each step.
Results:
Of the 91 patients, 43 (47%) successfully completed sperm cryopreservation. Thirty (33%) patients were not offered information about sperm cryopreservation from the doctors. Nine patients (9.9%) were offered but declined preservation. Nine patients (9.9%) were not able to provide sperm because of azoospermia (5) and anejaculation (4). Among 43 patients who successfully provided sperm, 10 (23%) had their cryopreserved sperm used for 21 cycles of in vitro fertilization. Ten pregnancies and 7 fatherhoods were achieved. Thirteen patients (30%) had their cryopreserved sperm discarded without use, whereas 20 (47%) continued preserving their sperm for a median 12.5 years.
Conclusions:
Not only offering proper information about sperm cryopreservation, but also shared decision making prior to chemotherapy, and considering fertility preservation before orchiectomy are imperative. The rate of use of preserved sperm was relatively high, but decision making for sperm disposal should also be supported.
