Semen cryopreservation for an oncological reason: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Oncology
• Spermatology

Background:

• Cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation, can severely impair male fertility.
• Sperm cryopreservation is a vital fertility preservation method for cancer patients.
• Understanding the impact of cancer and its treatment on semen quality is essential for managing infertility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how cancer type and treatment affect semen quality before and after therapy.
• To determine the utilization and destruction rates of cryopreserved semen samples post-treatment.
• To evaluate the role of semen parameters and Total Motile Sperm Count (TMSC) in assisted reproductive technology (ART) counseling for cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 724 male patients who cryopreserved semen for oncological reasons between 2000 and 2022.
• Analysis of semen parameters before and after cancer treatment.
• Calculation of semen sample utilization and destruction rates.

Main Results:

• Semen parameters showed significant heterogeneity, varying by cancer type and treatment.
• The utilization rate of cryopreserved semen was low (0.4%).
• The destruction rate of cryopreserved semen samples reached 23.1%.

Conclusions:

• Cancer and its treatments have diverse effects on sperm quality, necessitating individualized reproductive counseling.
• Sperm cryopreservation should be universally offered to cancer patients prior to treatment to safeguard future fertility.
• Total Motile Sperm Count (TMSC) is a valuable metric, alongside standard semen parameters, for guiding ART decisions in cancer survivors.