Male fertility after VAPEC-B chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Br J Cancer. 1994 Feb;69(2):379-81. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1994.69.

Abstract

Semen analysis was performed in 14 men a median of 13.5 months after completion of VAPEC-B chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Semen from 12 patients contained motile spermatozoa, and in nine cases the count was > 20 million ml-1. One patient was azoospermic (VAPEC-B followed by pelvic radiotherapy) and another had a count of 21 million ml-1 but sperm were non-motile. These findings suggest that, in the majority of cases, VAPEC-B chemotherapy does not cause permanent damage to the male germinal epithelium. A more detailed study of gonadal function in males and females before and after treatment with VAPEC-B for Hodgkin's disease is currently in progress.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / adverse effects*
  • Bleomycin / adverse effects
  • Cyclophosphamide / adverse effects
  • Doxorubicin / adverse effects
  • Etoposide / adverse effects
  • Hodgkin Disease / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sperm Count / drug effects*
  • Sperm Motility / drug effects*
  • Vincristine / adverse effects

Substances

  • Bleomycin
  • Vincristine
  • Etoposide
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide

Supplementary concepts

  • VAPEC-B protocol