Response of the seminiferous epithelium to scattered radiation in seminoma patients

Abstract

Semen and blood samples were obtained, at 3‐month intervals over 12 to 28 months, from patients who underwent subdiaphragmal radiation after orchidectomy for seminoma testis. Before radiotherapy a mean (±SE) semen volume of 4.7 ± 0.5 ml, a mean sperm count of 44.4 ± 13.5 × 106/ml, a mean percentage of motile cells of 20.3 ± 5.2, a mean percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa of 13.4 ± 5.4 a mean percentage of swollen sperm of 39.6 ± 7.4, and a mean serum follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH value of 8.3 ± 1.2 mIU/ml) was found. The mean testicular dose from scatter was 62 ± 5 cGy (range to to 95 cGy). Sperm counts between 0 and 2.75 × 106/ml were seen at 6.8 ± 0.6 months and recovery to values > 2.25 × 106/ml at 11.8 ± 0.8 months after the start of radiation. Peak FSH values of 19.2 ± mIU/ml were obtained at 6.7 ± 0.9 months after the start of irradiation. After recovery mean sem volume was 3.9 ± 0.4 ml, mean sperm count 34.6 ± 5.6 × 106/ml, the mean percentage of motile cells 42.5 ± 6.0, the mean percentage of swollen sperm 58.7 ± 6.8, and the mean percentage of spermatoz with normal morphology 23.4 ± 5.1. Only motility was significantly different (P < 0.01) from pretreatmozoa values. The elevation of FSH values with time after start of radiotherapy reflected the toxicity to spermatogenesis but no correlation was found between peak FSH levels and scattered radiation dose. Also neither the time from start of radiotherapy to sperm count nadir or recovery nor the time to peak FS levels was significantly correlated with radiation dose. Copyright © 1988 American Cancer Society