April 15-21 this year marks the 30th National Cancer Prevention and Control Publicity Week, with the theme of "Comprehensive Measures, Scientific Cancer Prevention." The aim is to raise public awareness and knowledge of cancer prevention.
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. Recent research by Zhu Wenbing and Huang Chuan's team at Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC, published in Human Reproduction Open, confirmed that sperm cryopreservation is an effective method for protecting male fertility; it is currently the key way to effectively preserve male fertility.

After including data from 69 studies involving a total of 32,234 cancer patients in their statistical analysis, Zhu Wenbing and Huang Chuan's team found that sperm cryopreservation was successful in over 90% of cancer patients, and the discard rate of cryopreserved sperm was low. Successfully cryopreserved sperm achieved pregnancy in various assisted reproductive technology methods. Notably, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) showed better clinical outcomes among different assisted reproductive technologies. This research indicates that sperm cryopreservation is a reliable and effective method, offering hope and possibilities for preserving fertility in cancer patients.

The Xiangya Sperm Bank of CITIC, established in 1981, 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. It has cryopreserved a total of 388,000 samples of donor sperm, providing frozen donor sperm to 80 reproductive centers in 29 provinces and cities across China, resulting in the birth of over 40,000 healthy babies. Simultaneously, it has cryopreserved 71,000 samples of self-sperm, resulting in the successful birth of 17,000 healthy babies.

In addition, in 2021, the sperm bank signed the first "Male Fertility Preservation + Artificial Insemination Insurance" cooperation agreement with China Life Insurance in Hunan. This insurance provides compensation to fertility preservation patients in case of artificial insemination failure.

Correspondents Huang Chuan, Gao Jie