title: Gonadal function in patients with testicular germ cell tumors.
abstract: The gonadal function of 18 patients with testicular germ cell tumors was evaluated. Seminal parameters after orchiectomy were examined in 15 patients. Six of them were available for follow-up observation after 2 or 3 courses of adjuvant chemotherapy. Serum gonadal hormones before and after orchiectomy were evaluated in 7 patients (testosterone and PRL were not examined in one patient). Five of 15 (33.3%), 8 of 15 (53.3%), 13 of 15 (86.7%), 7 of 13 (53.8%), and 9 of 12 (75.0%) had abnormal values in seminal volume, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and vitality, respectively. The sperm concentration gradually improved after chemotherapy following orchiectomy in 5 of 6 (83.3%) patients. In all the patients examined, serum levels of follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and prolactin (PRL) increased after orchiectomy. Serum levels of testosterone increased in 4 patients, but decreased in 2 after orchiectomy. These findings suggest that several factors, including preexisting intrinsic defect and disturbance of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, are involved in the deterioration of gonadal function in patients with testicular germ cell tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan. tomomasa@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomomasa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oshio
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ashizawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamiyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iiyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umeda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D018237:Germinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013737:Testis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone