Fertility Preservation in Men with Malignancies: An Experience at a Level II ART Clinic

Background:The advancement of cancer treatment has necessitated the need to address patients' fertility concerns, as patients have a higher chance of survival, and most treatment modalities have an impact on their fertility.Semen freezing has long been considered the gold standard for male fertility preservation.Aim: To assess the profile of male cancer patients referred to the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Center (IKDRC) for fertility preservation, as well as analyze their semen parameters and return rate.Materials and methods: This study was a retrospective review and analysis of all male cancer referrals to IKDRC for fertility preservation from January 2020 to December 2023.Results: A total of 80 patients with malignancies underwent semen analysis with the aim of fertility preservation by semen analysis.The mean age of patients was 24.44 5.39 years.The most common malignancy was testicular malignancy (31%), followed by Hodgkin's lymphoma (20.7%).About 51.2% of patients had normal semen analysis, while the most common abnormality was oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) observed in 17.5% of patients.No patients returned for the utilization of frozen semen samples during the study period.Conclusion: Testicular malignancy was the most common malignancy in young men seeking fertility care.Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia was the prevalent abnormality noted, and the returns rate for the use of stored semen samples was poor.However, longer follow-up is required to comment on the reproductive outcome.