Sperm cryopreservation in oncological patients: a 14-year follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
Oncologic treatments can destroy spermatogenic dividing cells and cause azoospermia which could be irreversible. Sperm banking is the best option to preserve male fertility after these treatments. It is easy, inexpensive, and safe. To date, few clinical data are available about large series of cancer patients. Our objective was to determine the usefulness of these preventive sperm freezing protocols.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
University-affiliated private fertility center.


METHODS
One hundred eighty-six cancer patients who banked sperm samples at our center before surgery or chemo- or radiotherapy treatments from 1991 to 2004.


METHODS
Conjugal status, age, type of cancer, treatment, and future use (if any) of the cryopreserved sperm samples for assisted reproduction technology (ART), and cycle results were recorded, analyzed, and compared with a control group.


METHODS
Basic sperm analysis of semen samples from cancer patients prior to freezing, after thawing, and after capacitation for ART.


RESULTS
A total of 320 semen samples were frozen before antineoplasic treatment. Six months later, 27% of the males recovered normal sperm production. From all frozen samples, 8.7% were discarded; the reasons were pregnancy achievement (55%), normal sperm production (28%), and patient death (18%). Finally, 5 IUI cycles and 30 ICSI cycles were done from frozen samples, with 1 and 15 pregnancies, respectively; results were comparable with those obtained in a control group.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant number of males who cryopreserved semen samples before receiving antitumoral treatments have employed them. The results obtained showed that this is the strategy of choice, aiming to preserve fertility for the future, because the cost/benefit ratio is favorable. Patients should be counseled accordingly.
Meseguer
Marcos
M
Instituto Universitario Valenciano de Infertilidad, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain. marcos.meseguer@ivi.es
Molina
Nancy
N
García-Velasco
Juan A
JA
Remohí
Jose
J
Pellicer
Antonio
A
Garrido
Nicolás
N
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007317:Insemination, Artificial, Homologous; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa