Germ cell function and hormonal status in patients with testicular cancer.
Sperm counts, serum gonadotropins, and androgen levels were investigated in 39 seminoma patients and 58 patients with a nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis after unilateral orchiectomy. In 58% of the patients, the total sperm count was below the lower reference value (80 million). A multiregression analysis demonstrated a correlation between a decreased total sperm count and the following three explanatory variables: (1) an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), (2) a history of chryptorchidism, or (3) a seminomatous tumor. In 42% of the patients, the sperm concentration and the sperm motility met criteria considered sufficient for cryopreservation. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was elevated in 33% of the patients. Androgens (serum testosterone [T] or urine 17-oxy-steroids [17-OS]) were subnormal in 5% of the patients, whereas serum luteinizing hormone (LH) was elevated in 14% of the patients without human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit (beta-HCG) in serum.
Hansen
P V
PV
Danish Cancer Society, Department of Experimental Clinical Oncology, Aarhus.
Trykker
H
H
Andersen
J
J
Helkjaer
P E
PE
D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009919:Orchiectomy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013076:Sperm Count; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery
D000728:Androgens; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone