DNA damage in patients with untreated cancer as measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between sperm chromatin defects, evaluated by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and semen characteristics in cryopreserved semen specimens from patients diagnosed with various types of cancer.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Andrology laboratory at a tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
Cryopreserved semen samples from 12 healthy fertile men and 37 men diagnosed with cancer: testicular cancer (n = 20), Hodgkin's disease (n = 11), non-Hodgkin's disease (n = 4), and other neoplasm (n = 2).


METHODS
None.


METHODS
The shift of green (native DNA) to red (denatured, single-stranded DNA) fluorescence in acridine orange-stained nuclei was measured and quantified using the expression alpha(t)(red fluorescence/[red + green fluorescence] per cell). Sperm DNA damage was correlated with classical semen characteristics.


RESULTS
Cancer patients as a group had significantly higher DNA damage when compared with controls. Specimens with high COMPalpha(t) values (percentage of sperm with denatured DNA) were present in all groups of cancer patients. No meaningful correlation was seen between the extent of DNA damage and classical semen measures.


CONCLUSIONS
DNA damage in spermatozoa is prevalent in the majority of cancer patients. SCSA provides important information about the biochemical integrity of sperm DNA in men with cancer before their treatment.
Center for Advanced Research in Human Reproduction and Infertility, Urological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
H
H
Kobayashi
K
K
Larson
R K
RK
Sharma
D R
DR
Nelson
D P
DP
Evenson
H
H
Toma
A J
AJ
Thomas
A
A
Agarwal
D000165:Acridine Orange; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004249:DNA Damage; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005453:Fluorescence; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012662:Semen Preservation; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics
D002843:Chromatin; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D000165:Acridine Orange