The effects of sperm cryopreservation on the semen quality of cancer patients

Abstract EN

Cancer therapy further impairs the already compromised semen quality of cancer patients.

However, recent advances in Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) have made sperm cryopreservation a realistic option for cancer patients who are within the reproductive age to preserve their future fertility potential.

The purpose of this study was to establish the value of sperm cryopreservation in cancer patients by comparing the semen quality before and after cryopreservation in patients and donors.

Semen specimens were collected from 128 patients with different types of malignancy who were referred for sperm banking at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and from 50 healthy volunteers according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

Semen analyses were performed before and after cryopreservation by Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) and the results were verified manually by microscopic examination.

We found that the prefreeze semen quality is poorer in cancer patients than that in donors.

But, the prefreeze to postthaw % change in semen quality was not different between the two groups.

So, we recommend that sperm cryopreservation has to be offered to all cancer patients who want to father a child and for the best chances of success, this has to done before starting their therapy.