Which types of male cancer affect fertility levels?

As we mentioned in our previous article, November is the month of raising awareness for men’s health. More specifically, this month is devoted to male cancer and its treatment and prevention. Which are the two types of male cancer that affect fertility levels and how? Prostate cancer: The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer happens when cancer cells form in prostate tissue. The chances of getting this type of cancer increase if you are above 50 years old or you have a family history of the disease. Advanced stages of cancer can lead to male infertility and more specifically to erectile dysfunction (ED). The main cause of male infertility though is the treatment of prostate cancer. The different ways of treatment may harm your fertility for a long time or forever, depending on your age, your general health, and the nature of the treatment. Surgery. It typically removes the prostate gland and two other small glands called seminal vesicles. They all work together to carry semen out of the penis and without them, you can’t send sperm outside of your body to fertilize an egg. Radiation. This treatment uses high-energy beams, like supercharged X-rays, to kill cancer cells, while targeting the prostate area. But radiation therapy anywhere around your sex organs or belly area (testicles, bladder, and lymph nodes) can lessen the sperm count and testosterone levels. Chemotherapy. Drugs, typically given through a needle in the vein, are used to kill cells that divide quickly. Because sperm normally divide at a fast pace, chemo often affects them as well. Again, age, type of chemo, and the dose all affect the risk of infertility. Hormone therapy. Also known as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), it stops your body from making male sex hormones like testosterone. Some hormones “feed” prostate cancer cells, helping them grow. Though ADT can slow tumor growth, it may also affect your ability to make sperm. Is there a way to have children after all that? Yes, there are some ways that need to be discussed with your medical team in advance. Sperm banking. A lab collects semen samples and checks their health under a microscope. If they’re good, the lab freezes the samples and stores them for later use. Testicular shielding. This is when a protective lead cover is used to help protect testicles from radiation. This lowers the chance of treatment damaging your sperm. It’s also called gonadal shielding. Testicular sperm extraction. Even if you’re not able to ejaculate and bank your sperm, your doctor may be able to get sperm from your testicles with this procedure. The team will do minor surgery to remove pieces of testicle tissue and then check it for possible sperm. If found, you and your health care team can use it to fertilize an egg or freeze it for later use. Although technical advances in assisted reproduction have dramatically improved the conception rates, the success rates for the two procedures combined—sperm extraction followed by injection of the sperm into the egg—is less than 50%. Testicular cancer: Testicular cancer is a disease that occurs when cancerous (malignant) cells develop in the tissues of a testicle. The development of cancerous cells in both testicles can occur but is very rare. This type of cancer is the most common one in men aged 20 to 35 but usually, the disease is curable. Although curable, testicular cancer affects male fertility, and especially its treatment makes it even more difficult to have a baby. In some instances, natural conception may never be feasible again. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a chance of growing your family. Usually, testicular cancer affects only one testicle, which means there’s still one testicle producing testosterone and making sperm. You’ll rarely need to have both testicles removed and will no longer be able to produce sperm. In case you are required surgery to remove one testicle, you should still be able to conceive naturally because one testicle can provide enough testosterone to get an erection and ejaculate, and also it should provide enough sperm to successfully conceive. As for chemotherapy and radiation, they have the same effect as prostate cancer. They can temporarily decrease sperm production and damage sperm’s health. It can take over two years for the quantity and quality of your sperm to return to normal and in some cases, infertility can be permanent. Sexual performance won’t always be affected by cancer and treatment, but the anxiety that comes with the disease may affect your sex drive, body image, and mental health. This is common and completely normal, and not something to be ashamed of. That is why you have to discuss with your doctor all the possible solutions. The most usual one is, again sperm banking. You usually store sperm after you have had an orchiectomy and it is important to have it done before you have any further treatment. This is because further treatment could damage your sperm. If your doctor diagnoses you with low sperm levels after treatment he/she can prescribe testosterone replacement therapy to improve your symptoms. Important notice: While you are having chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it is important to avoid unprotected sexual intercourse. Treatment may damage your sperm and possibly harm a developing baby conceived at this time. So during treatment, it is best to use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom. This will also protect your partner for the first couple of days after chemotherapy from any chemical substances that might be in your semen. After radiotherapy or chemotherapy has finished, doctors usually advise you to continue using effective contraception for about a year. Surely it’s a lot to digest, and just the thought of having cancer affects your mental health too. But don’t let your hopes down, science nowadays can perform miracles, and you may still be able to grow your family. The most important thing is to talk. Talk to your other half, to your doctor, and to professionals. Express your concerns and make your decisions early. And don’t forget, MEDIPASS is here with you on your fertility journey, a journey you should never do alone. We support you every step of the way, always according to your wants and needs. Request a quote and let the journey begin.