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Testicular Cancer May Not End Chance to Become a Dad

Posted on: Wednesday, 20 July 2005, 12:00 CDT

Men who have undergone treatment for testicular cancer are today given fresh hope of becoming a father.

New research has revealed that powerful cancer-killing chemotherapy and radiotherapy may not cause infertility.

Studies have shown that the vast majority of men who try to have a family following treatment for testicular cancer are able to father children.

The research, by the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, did find that chemotherapy can affect fertility - but not to the extent previously feared.

Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK which part-funded the research, said, 'This study is particularly heartening for young men diagnosed with testicular cancer and for their partners.

'It goes a long way towards allaying the natural fears that treatment will leave them unable to have children.'

The research involved almost 700 men who had been treated for testicular cancer between 1982 and 1992 and asked them to complete a questionnaire relating to fertility and general health.

Just over 200 men reported attempting conception and 159 of them - 77% - were successful in becoming fathers. A further 10 patients fathered children after fertility treatment.

The study also found that patients treated with chemotherapy after surgery had an increased risk of infertility compared to those who had no follow-up treatment or had radiotherapy only. But it was less than had been expected.

Among the men attempting conception without fertility treatment, those who had surgery but no further treatment had the highest rate of success (85%).

Those who had radiotherapy achieved an 82% success rate and those men who had chemotherapy achieved a 71% success rate.

Of those men who underwent both chemotherapy and radiotherapy there was a 67% success rate of becoming a father post-treatment.

Dr Robert Huddart, lead scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said, 'Our previous studies suggested that most men's sperm counts recover after chemotherapy.

'In this study we have shown that after treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy the majority of men who want to father children can do so.

'In patients who had no treatment after surgery we found that 15% had difficulty conceiving; treatment made this percentage slightly higher but not dramatically so.

'More than 70% of patients who had chemotherapy were still fertile.

'It is important that patients should be monitored for testosterone as low levels of this hormone affect quality of life and men with less testosterone tend to be less sexually active.'

The men were also asked questions about sexual function and satisfaction as part of the research.

More than eight out of 10 said they had a satisfying sexual relationship with their partner after undergoing treatment for testicular cancer.

Professor Peter Rigby, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, added, 'This is very encouraging news - testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men, many of whom are likely to hope to go on and have children following treatment.

'The study also highlights the great progress in cancer treatment, not only is testicular cancer 99% curable if it is caught early enough, but the vast majority of men can go on to lead normal lives.'

About 2,000 cases of testicular cancer are registered in the UK each year and around half of all cases are in men aged under 35. 'I was devastated. Why me? I was 25 years old with my whole life ahead of me': For six months Mark Newbold knew there was something wrong, but put off going to the doctor because he was embarrassed.

It was only after close friends convinced him to seek professional advice about the painful swelling in his testicle that Mark, then 25, went to see his GP.

He was immediately referred to hospital for an urgent biopsy, but despite a maelstrom of emotions, Mark, who lives in Bridgend, did not expect to be told he had cancer.

The 37-year-old, father-of-two, said, 'I went to theatre and the next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room, where a standard biopsy turned into a removal of my testicle.

'I was devastated. So many questions, but mainly, why me? I was 25 years old with my whole life ahead of me.

'Just a few weeks after my op, I started two months of radiotherapy at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff.

'It was during my treatment that I met my beautiful wife Maria but at the time, we didn't know how it would affect my fertility.

'Six months before we were due to get married, Maria found out she was pregnant and we were ecstatic - we had a baby girl and named her Natascha.

'A couple of years later we were expecting our second child. Life was great.

'Five months into the pregnancy, they had found two tumours in my remaining testicle but this time I was stronger both mentally and physically to deal with it.'

The couple's son, Alex, now five, was born in February 2000 and the pair decided that Mark would stay at home full-time, while Maria, now 33, returned to work.

Mark is now a fundraiser for Welsh cancer charity Tenovus in Swansea and West Wales and is determined to raise awareness about testicular cancer.

He added, 'The earlier testicular cancer is detected the easier it is to treat. However, the only way to detect the disease early is if you know how your testicles normally feel and look.

'If you don't know what is normal for you, then you will never realise if something is going wrong.'

The Tenovus freephone helpline is 0808 808 1010.

Source: Western Mail

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