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Preserving the Future

Sperm banking offers fertility protection for men facing cancer treatment

Marcia Leonard, co-director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center Survivorship Program

Learn more about fertility preservation.

U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's Survivorship Program, encourages patients to talk to their doctors about the impact of treatment on fertility. Some cancer treatments may cause infertility, but not all. That's why it's important to speak to your doctor and to think ahead. Sperm banking is a good option for men who are at risk of infertility: Many children have been born using sperm that has been banked as long as 25 years.

But it's key to talk to your doctor about it before treatment begins. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center recently became a participating partner in the Sharing Hope Program, which offers financial assistance for cancer patients seeking to preserve their fertility.

We talked to Marcia Leonard, co-director of the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center's Survivorship Program, about what men with cancer need to know about sperm banking.

Q. Who should consider sperm banking?

All males facing cancer treatment should talk with their doctor about infertility risks. Surgery and radiation affecting the reproductive organs can lead to infertility. Radiation to the brain can damage the pituitary gland and affect the ability to produce the hormones necessary to make sperm. Some forms of chemotherapy (see next page) may be toxic to sperm-forming cells and may cause long-term damage. The key is to talk to your doctor to find out what your risks are before you begin treatment.

Q. What about families with young boys or teenagers?

We talk with families about the impact of cancer treatment on fertility, even if the patient is very young. We aim to discuss sperm banking with families if the patient is a boy older than 12. Although the initial treatments for some forms of leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma are thought to be less damaging to fertility, it's important to consider that disease status can change; more aggressive treatment, like a stem cell transplant, may be necessary if the cancer comes back. If a transplant is required, fertility is likely to be damaged -- and there may not be sufficient recovery from previous treatment to allow for sperm banking.

Q. Is sperm banking an option after chemotherapy begins?

If you don't In general, no. Chemotherapeutic drugs can have an immediate effect on sperm.

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To make an appointment with the Center for Reproductive Medicine, call 734-763-4323.

This article first appeared in the Spring, 2010 issue of Thrive.

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