[Testicular function in young men treated in prepubertal period for childhood malignancy].

INTRODUCTION

A complex anticancer treatment leads to different late effects e.g. gonadal damage in adulthood. The information about gonadal function (steroido- and spermatogenesis) after the treatment in prepubertal period are ambiguous.

THE AIM OF STUDY: was to evaluate testicular function in young men (Tanner puberty stages IV and V) treated in prepubertal period for childhood malignancies.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

In thirty-two pubertal and postpubertal male survivors of childhood cancer (acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ALL - 14, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, NHL - 6, Hodgkin lymphoma, HL and solid tumors - 4) testicular volume and serum FSH, LH, testosterone, inhibin B and calculated quotient inhibin B:FSH were measured. Controls were 15 healthy boys matched by age and Tanner stage.

RESULTS

In the whole studied group the mean values of FSH, LH and testosterone did not differ from control, while inhibin B was lower (87.5+/-96.3 vs. 196.5+/-66.8 ng/l; p<0,0003). The lowest values of inhibin B were found in HL (46,15+/-35,12 ng/l) and after ALL treatment (71,1+/-39,8 ng/l). We did not observe differences in hormonal parameters after NHL treatment. The inhibin B-to-FSH ratio was lower, especially after treatment for HL.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhibin B is a sensitive marker of gonadal damage. Anticancer therapy in prepubertal period may lead to disturbances in spermatogenesis.