According to the World Health Organization, infertility has become the third most common disease affecting human life and health, and the related distress is more prevalent among male cancer patients. Cancer treatment may have a permanent adverse effect on male fertility.

On April 20, Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC revealed that a recent study by Zhu Wenbing and Huang Chuan's team, published in Human Reproduction Open, confirmed that sperm cryopreservation is an effective method for protecting male fertility and is currently a key way to effectively preserve male fertility.

After including data from 69 studies and a total of 32,234 cancer patients for statistical analysis, the team found that over 90% of cancer patients' sperm were successfully frozen, and the discard rate of frozen sperm was low. Successfully cryopreserved sperm achieved pregnancy in different assisted reproductive technology methods. Notably, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) showed better clinical outcomes among different assisted reproductive technologies.

The study results indicate that sperm cryopreservation is a reliable and effective method, offering hope and possibilities for the preservation of fertility in cancer patients.

Established in 1981, the Xiangya Sperm Bank of CITIC is the only human sperm bank in Hunan Province. Since its establishment, it has recruited approximately 40,000 college students, with over 9,000 qualified sperm donors. A total of 388,000 samples of donor semen have been cryopreserved, providing frozen donor semen to 80 reproductive centers in 29 provinces and cities across China, resulting in the birth of over 40,000 healthy babies. Simultaneously, 71,000 samples of self-semen have been cryopreserved, resulting in the successful birth of 17,000 healthy babies.

April 15-21 this year marks the 30th National Cancer Prevention and Control Publicity Week, with the theme of "Comprehensive Measures, Scientific Cancer Prevention".

Relevant paper information: https://doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoae006