Sperm cryopreservation in patients with testicular cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To review a large experience with sperm cryopreservation in patients with testicular cancer and determine the effect of clinical stage and tumor histologic features on semen quality.

METHODS: The prefreeze and post-thaw sperm quality of 157 patients with testicular cancer was compared with that of 50 normal donors. The impact of tumor stage and histologic features (pure seminoma, pure embryonal, or mixed germ cell) was also determined. A computer-assisted semen analysis was performed before and after cryopreservation. The motile sperm count (MSC), motility, and motion characteristics were measured before and after cryopreservation and compared between groups.

RESULTS: Patients with testicular cancer had lower prefreeze and post-thaw MSC and motility compared with normal donors (P = 0.0001 for both). The curvilinear velocity and linearity were also significantly less in patients with testicular cancer (P <0.05 for both). The percentage of change in the semen characteristics did not differ between patients and donors, indicating that sperm from both patients and donors withstood the cryopreservation process equally well. Tumor stage (n = 143) and histologic features (n = 136) did not significantly influence semen quality. No individual histologic component significantly influenced MSC or motility.

CONCLUSIONS: The effect of cryopreservation on sperm was similar in patients with testicular cancer and donors. Patients with poor prefreeze semen quality have poor post-thaw semen quality, and the effects of cryopreservation were not significantly affected by histologic features or stage. Our results indicate that routine sperm banking should be recommended for men with a diagnosis of testicular cancer to preserve future fertility potential.