Chemotherapy in testicular cancer patients may cause changes in sperm DNA

Now Leon, Leon News, Health

The scientific literature shows that after 4 years of cancer treatment, sperm usually recover their pre-treatment characteristics. But until now, there has been little data on how these drugs might affect the sperm epigenome. And this series of chemicals that bind to DNA (the genome) have the ability to modify your genes, activating or repressing their expression.

This is explained by the study “Changes in the DNA methylome of spermatozoa in patients with testicular cancer after chemotherapy,” presented in 40^º ESHRE Congress in Amsterdam, which examines the effects of chemotherapy treatments commonly used for testicular cancer.

“The results were clear: after the sperm DNA was isolated, Functional enrichment analysis of the affected genes identified 65 differentially methylated regions. Specifically, the study found that the most affected biological processes were regulation of macromolecular biosynthesis, hormone receptor binding, and signaling pathways that regulate stem cell pluripotency and cancer pathways.”, comments Dr. Marga Esbert, biologist and research coordinator at IVI Barcelona.

This is the largest study conducted to date in testicular cancer survivors. To ensure comparability, all samples studied were frozen. Both those taken before cancer treatment and those taken after the disease has been overcome, as cryopreservation can alter the epigenetics of the sperm sample.

«“We knew that cancer treatments in general and chemotherapy in particular can cause damage to sperm DNA integrity and aneuploidy, but after a few years this damage is repaired. With this new study, we have seen that sperm epigenetics also changes after testicular cancer is overcome, but these modifications continue to be evident 4 years later.” explains Dr. Esbert.

Testicular cancer has a low incidence (1%) and a high cure rate of about 95%. Logically, one of the biggest concerns of patients is the possibility of becoming parents after they have overcome cancer. For all these reasons, specialists always recommend good advice in cooperation with an oncologist to ensure that the sperm genetic information remains intact after chemotherapy. “This step is very important because the age range of this type of cancer practically covers the peak of fertile age – from 20 to 34 years. Informing the patient at the oncology consultation at the time of diagnosis is the key to preserving intact genetic material after the entire process of cancer treatment prescribed by the specialist,” – the doctor concludes.