Sperm antibodies and infertility in patients with testicular cancer.
The level of antisperm antibodies using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the serum of 48 patients with testicular cancer before and after therapy is reviewed. This is not a linear study of each patient, but some conclusions can be drawn: In a high percentage of testicular cancer patients serum antisperm antibodies can be detected: 73.3 per cent before orchiectomy and 43.7 per cent overall. The percentage of patients with antibodies decreases with adequate therapy. In patients with advanced disease there is a higher percentage of positivity (50%) for serum antisperm antibodies than in patients with low-stage disease (30%). The higher percentage of antibodies-positive patients among those with infertility patterns could be an important argument that supports the hypothesis that autoimmune pathology can play a role in oligo/azoospermia in testicular cancer patients.
Guazzieri
S
S
Lembo
A
A
Ferro
G
G
Artibani
W
W
Merlo
F
F
Zanchetta
R
R
Pagano
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D002369:Castration; D004407:Dysgerminoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D012661:Semen / Q000032:analysis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D001323:Autoantibodies