Testicular toxicity of antineoplastic drugs during postnatal development of the rat

A multidisciplinary approach was chosen to assess effects of anticancer drugs on the postnatally developing reproductive system. Male rats were treated once with doxorubicin (3 mg/kg bw i. p.) on either postnatal day 6, 16, 24, or 45. Mating studies, sperm counts, estimation of androgen binding protein and assessment of pathological parameters were performed at the time of onset of reproductive capacity of the controls and for 12 weeks thereafter. Male reproductive toxicity of doxorubicin was clearly dependent on the age at the time of treatment, being greatest for 6 day old animals and absent for 45 day old animals.