Reproductive prognosis in male patients with azoospermia at the time of cancer diagnosis.
OBJECTIVE
Fertility status evaluation in patients found azoospermic at the time of malignancy diagnosis.


METHODS
Case series follow-up.


METHODS
University Hospital Sperm Banking service.


METHODS
Male cancer patients found azoospermic between 1986 and June 2000.


METHODS
Patients were interviewed about their reproductive history and were invited for a free semen analysis.


METHODS
Pregnancy rate (PR) and percentage of patients with viable spermatozoa in the ejaculate.


RESULTS
Sixty-five patients were enrolled; 16 were lost at follow-up, 7 died, and 42 were followed to the end of the study. The median (range) time of follow-up for the 42 remaining patients was 9 years (2-14 years). Seventeen patients had wanted to father a child; 12 had a child (71%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 48%-88%). Semen analysis results were available in 11 patients. Resumption of spermatogenesis was documented in 9 cases (82%, 95% CI 53%-97%).


CONCLUSIONS
Spontaneous fertility recovery is frequent in patients who are azoospermic at the time of cancer diagnosis.
Ragni
Guido
G
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. g.ragni@icp.mi.it
Arnoldi
Mariangela
M
Somigliana
Edgardo
E
Paffoni
Alessio
A
Brambilla
Maria Elena
ME
Restelli
Liliana
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology