Gonadal hormones in long-term survivors 10 years after treatment for unilateral testicular cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether unilaterally orchiectomised testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) are more likely to display reduced Leydig cell function than healthy males.

METHODS: A national multi-centre survey of 1235 TCSs was performed in 1998-2000 (mean age: 44 years) treated between 1980 and 1994 (mean follow-up: 11 years). Serum hormone analyses were performed on 1183 TCSs, as 52 TCSs used androgen replacement (AR). TCSs were allocated to four treatment groups: Surgery only (251); Radiotherapy only (515); Chemotherapy 1, cisplatin 850 mg (96). The Controls were represented by 200 healthy blue-collar workers (mean age: 44 years). LH >12 IU/l and testosterone <8 nmol/l and the use of AR indicated hypogonadism.

RESULTS: Serum testosterone was similar in TCSs and Controls (16.9 vs.17.1 nmol/l), but TCSs had higher age-adjusted LH levels than the Controls (5.2 vs. 3.5 IU/l). LH increased with treatment intensity, but was elevated even in TCSs treated with surgery only. The age-adjusted odds ratio of hypogonadism was 3.8 (95%CI: 2.0-7.3) in TCSs, and increased with treatment intensity.

CONCLUSION: TCSs are at risk to develop pre-mature reduced Leydig cell function and hypogonadism. They may therefore be predisposed for the syndrome of androgen deficiency of aging males (ADAM).