title: Semen quality of consecutive ejaculates from cancer patients for fertility preservation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study variations in semen parameters among cancer patients who visited a sperm banking clinic before undergoing cancer treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, consecutive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six patients, diagnosed with various cancers, undergoing multiple semen collections on 5 consecutive days, for fertility preservation, between 2004 and 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within- and between-subject coefficients of variation were estimated using a random-effects analysis of variance to assess the consistency of semen parameters (volume, sperm concentration, motility, rapid motility, total motile sperm count, and computer-based sperm parameters), whereas intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the size of the between-component of variance relative to the total component of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When analyzing semen parameters over a maximum of 5 consecutive days, only the semen volume was significantly reduced in day-1 and -3 samples compared with the first sample. Almost all of the parameters showed high ICC values, suggesting that within-subject fluctuations were small relative to the between-subject variability. The highest ICC values were noted in volume (ICC 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.89), followed by total motile count (ICC 0.71; 95% CI 0.30-0.89); the least consistent measure was wobble (ICC 0.14; 95% CI -0.13, 0.51).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Repeated ejaculates from cancer patients did not show substantial variation in semen quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Bundang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seul Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Bundang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Mi
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Bundang, South Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: blasto@snubh.org.
authors.forename: Byung Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Bundang, South Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Suk
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004542:Ejaculation; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055101:Semen Analysis; D012662:Semen Preservation; D013074:Sperm Banks; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Sperm banking; fertility preservation; intraclass correlation coefficients; semen analysis; within-subject coefficients of variation