FERTILITY IN PATIENTS WITH TESTICULAR SEMINOMA

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (5) , 272-275
Abstract
In view of the excellent prognosis and the desire for children frequently expressed after postoperative healing, fertility studies were performed in 234 patients with seminoma of the testis. There was a reduced sperm count before therapy in 39 out of 46 patients. The damage to spermatogenesis induced by radiotherapy can lead to azoospermia, cryptozoospermia and severe oligozoospermia in the first 2 yr. The different irradiation techniques with the resulting burden on the residual testis are described. By appropriate irradiation adapted to the stage of the disease as well as by application of a testis guard, the damage to the residual testis can be reduced to the extent that restitution can be expected after 2 yr. Four fathers produced healthy children within 3-5 yr after the end of treatment.