Is male infertility a forerunner to cancer?

Bender, Whitney; Sabanegh, Edmund; Dada, Rima; Rein, Brandon J. D.; Agarwal, Ashok

doi:10.1590/s1677-55382010000500002

Cited by 21 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The higher risk of testicular cancer and poor semen quality over the past decades has drawn attention to the possibility that environmental xenoestrogens may be implicated. [37][38][39] Among xenoestrogens, phthalates are ubiquitous in human life. Hsu et al 40 and Han et al 41 reported that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are associated with DNA damages.…”

Section: Contribution Of Environmental Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Geoffroy-Siraudin¹,

Loundou²,

Romain³

et al. 2012

Asian J Androl

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Semen from 10 932 male partners of infertile couples was analysed and sperm parameter trends were evaluated at the Reproduction Biology Laboratory of the University Hospital of Marseille (France) between 1988 and 2007. After 3-6 days of abstinence, semen samples were collected. Measurements of seminal fluid volume, pH, sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility and detailed morphology of spermatozoa were performed. Sperm parameters were analysed on the entire population and in men with normal total numeration (o40 million per ejaculate). The whole population demonstrated declining trends in sperm concentration (1.5% per year), total sperm count (1.6% per year), total motility (0.4% per year), rapid motility (5.5% per year) and normal morphology (2.2% per year). In the group of selected samples with total normal sperm count, the same trends of sperm quality deterioration with time were observed. Our results clearly indicate that the quality of semen decreased in this population over the study period. Keywords: environment; male infertility; regional differences; semen quality; sperm parameters INTRODUCTION Numerous studies suggest a decline in semen quality in some parts of the world. 1-8 By contrast, other studies have shown no evidence of deteriorating semen quality. 9-16 Some studies concern infertile couples, while others analyse normal sperm parameters. Thus, a worldwide decreasing trend in semen parameter values can be neither confirmed nor rejected. 17 It was recently reported that fecundity is affected by this decrease. 18,19 It was speculated that decreasing sperm parameters are in response to adverse environmental factors. Nevertheless, the observed discrepancies between studies suggest regional differences in semen quality. [20][21][22] Variations in environmental factors, industrial pollution and/or lifestyle could explain these discrepancies. A large number of environmental factors can pollute air, drinking water and food. This can directly alter the male gonad by blood-testis barrier disruption and cellular toxicity, or disrupt androgen biosynthesis and action. Among these environmental factors, oestrogenic or anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting compounds inhibit critical cellular process controlling steroidogenesis in Leydig cells and androgen binding to the androgen receptor. 23 It has been hypothesized that endocrine disrupting compounds play a major role in the aetiology of increased incidence of testicular dysgenesis syndrome which gathers decreased quality of semen, cryptorchidism, hypospadias and testicular cancer. 24 Chemicals with hormone-like activity can also

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Section: Contribution Of Environmental Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Geoffroy-Siraudin¹,

Loundou²,

Romain³

et al. 2012

Asian J Androl

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“…A full exploration of the potential underlying mechanisms is beyond the scope of this review, but there are some excellent reviews published in recent years. [50][51][52] The research is complicated by the fact that infertility itself is incompletely understood and is difficult to study. 53 It is generally accepted that disruptions of the testis germ cells and their regulation along with DNA repair failures are playing a large role in the association.…”

Section: Potential Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male Infertility and Risk of Cancer

Rogers

Walsh

2017

Semin Reprod Med

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Male infertility is a complex and incompletely understood process that is thought to affect around 10% of the male population. Infertility is a complex interaction between genetics and environmental factors, which is increasingly being recognized as a potential marker of contemporary or future medical disease, including cancer. The best characterized association between infertility and cancer risk is that of testicular germ cell tumor, but increased risk for prostate cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and others have also been described. Much like infertility, the mechanism behind these associations is not completely understood. Several hypotheses have been put forth including testicular dysgenesis syndrome, chromosomal abnormalities, damaged DNA repair mechanisms, or Y chromosome abnormalities. With the use of advance reproductive techniques, more men are bypassing a male fertility specialist who may be positioned to diagnose or counsel patients regarding these risks.

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“…In fact, epidemiological studies in males who presented fertility problems tend to lean toward an enhanced risk of testicular germ cell tumor (30). The development of TC is associated with many chromosomal abnormalities and this raises the problem for close monitoring of these patients.…”

Section: Germ Cell Development Infertility and Testicular Cancer Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spermatogenesis and Cryptorchidism

et al. 2014

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Cryptorchidism represents the most common endocrine disease in boys, with infertility more frequently observed in bilateral forms. It is also known that undescended testes, if untreated, lead to an increased risk of testicular tumors, usually seminomas, arising from mutant germ cells. In normal testes, germ cell development is an active process starting in the first months of life when the neonatal gonocytes transform into adult dark (AD) spermatogonia. These cells are now thought to be the stem cells useful to support spermatogenesis. Several researches suggest that AD spermatogonia form between 3 and 9 months of age. Not all the neonatal gonocytes transform into AD spermatogonia; indeed, the residual gonocytes undergo involution by apoptosis. In the undescended testes, these transformations are inhibited leading to a deficient pool of stem cells for post pubertal spermatogenesis. Early surgical intervention in infancy may allow the normal development of stem cells for spermatogenesis. Moreover, it is very interesting to note that intra-tubular carcinoma in situ in the second and third decades have enzymatic markers similar to neonatal gonocytes suggesting that these cells fail transformation into AD spermatogonia and likely generate testicular cancer (TC) in cryptorchid men. Orchidopexy between 6 and 12 months of age is recommended to maximize the future fertility potential and decrease the TC risk in adulthood.

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Is male infertility a forerunner to cancer?

Cited by 21 publications

References 46 publications

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Decline of semen quality among 10 932 males consulting for couple infertility over a 20-year period in Marseille, France

Male Infertility and Risk of Cancer

Spermatogenesis and Cryptorchidism

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