Assisted Reproduction in Male Cancer Survivors: Fertility Treatment and Outcome in 67 Couples

Background: Many male cancer survivors experience fertility problems due to antineoplastic treatment. We report the fertility outcome in 67 couples referred to assisted reproduction treatment (ART) because of male factor infertility due to cancer.

Methods: This was a retrospective study assessing the following parameters: diagnosis, cancer treatment, type of fertility treatment and type of sperm used, number of pregnancies and pregnancy outcome.

Results: Testicular cancer and lymphomas were the most prevalent diagnoses. Adjuvant treatment with chemo- and/or radiation therapy had been given to 90% of the men. Semen was cryopreserved in 82% of the men prior to treatment. Following antineoplastic treatment, 43% of the men had motile spermatozoa in the ejaculate, but 57% were azoospermic. A total of 151 ART cycles were performed [55 intra-uterine insemination (IUI), 82 ICSI and 14 ICSI-frozen embryo replacement (FER)]. The clinical pregnancy rate per cycle was 14.8% after IUI, 38.6% after ICSI and 25% after ICSI-FER. The corresponding delivery rates were 11.1, 30.5 and 21%. Cryopreserved semen was used in 58% of the pregnancies. The delivery rate per cycle was similar after use of fresh or cryopreserved spermatozoa.

Conclusions: Male cancer survivors have a good chance of fathering a child by using either fresh ejaculated sperm or cryopreserved sperm.