Advances in the treatment of cancer have led to extraordinary improvements in the long-term prognosis of patients. Unfortunately, a complication of these increasingly effective cancer therapies is reproductive failure resulting in a man’s temporary and even permanent infertility or sterility.
Cancer treatment negatively impacts sperm quality, which often leads to infertility. Patients may have to undergo radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery as part of their cancer treatment program. Each of these treatments has harmful and destructive effects on sperm production or emission and can thus contribute to infertility. Certain types of cancer may also affect sperm quality even prior to the beginning of treatment.
Before beginning treatment for cancer, it is important that you fully understand that your therapy may cause infertility. If you’re a man, however, you should also be aware that there are a number of technologies available to help you preserve your fertility. Your options may include the following:
Sperm Cryopreservation
Sperm cryopreservation is a term usually used to describe the freezing and storage of a sperm sample and it is also sometimes referred to as sperm banking. It is considered to be an extremely effective way for men to retain their ability to become a father in the future and it is widely available in most countries around the world.
The sperm sample is most commonly retrieved from three separate sessions of self-stimulation. It is subsequently frozen at very low temperatures for many years or until you are ready to use it. Men may be candidates for sperm banking, even if they have very low sperm counts.
Once you are ready to start a family, your frozen sperm can be used to fertilize an egg cell using one of several different procedures, including intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF), or introcytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
It is usually recommended to collect the sperm before the start of any cancer treatments in order to get the best sample with the healthiest sperm cells. Following your cancer diagnosis, you should begin discussing the possibility of sperm banking with your doctor as soon as possible.
Testicular Shielding During Radiation Therapy
During radiation treatments, shields are often used to decrease the amount of radiation delivered to the testes. This may or may not be possible, depending on the area of your body that will receive radiation. If you do not require direct radiation to the testicles, however, shielding can definitely reduce the amount of radiation exposure and may prevent some fertility issues.
Testicular Tissue Cryopreservation
The purpose of testicular tissue cryopreservation, known as testicular tissue freezing, is to return sperm-producing frozen tissue to the body after therapy. This method is still in an experimental phase.
Testicular Sperm Extraction:
With testicular sperm extraction, a surgeon will remove a sample of tissue from the testicles under local anesthesia. The tissue is examined and any sperm cells present are collected and frozen for future use. The frozen sperm are then used to fertilize egg cells in the same way as sperm banking. The testicular sperm extraction process is also recommended to men who are unable to produce sperm by ejaculation due to primary testicular failure or a non-reconstructed vasectomy.
While there is the potential for your cancer treatment to cause you to become sterile, there are a number of options to help you to keep your ability to father a child in the future. It is important that you discuss your options with your physician early for the best fertility preservation outcomes.
Take control of your fertility and make an appointment with one of our compassionate and highly trained reproductive specialists. CORM serves the greater southeast area of Texas with full-service fertility clinics in Webster and Beaumont using the latest techniques and procedures to help patients achieve the gift of new life. The professional staff at the Center of Reproductive Medicine will work closely with you to choose the most appropriate fertility program for your individual reproductive medical needs.