INTRODUCTION: Chemo- and radiotherapy induce testicular damage leading to long-time or irreversible infertility. AIM: To investigate testicular function (spermato- and steroidogenesis) in adolescents and young men cured of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In thirty one patients cured of HL 5.9 +/-3.3 years ago and sixteen--cured of NHL before 5.44y +/-2.9 and in twenty one healthy men, we measured serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone using immunoenzymatic methods and inhibin B (RIA method). In ten patients, examination of semen was made. RESULTS: 1. Patients with NHL and HL in clinical stage I and IIb, presented normal values of all analyzed parameters. 2. The treatment for HL in IIb, IIIb, IV clinical stage with increasing number of therapeutic protocols, especially together with radiotherapy, led to gonadal dysfunction (increase of FSH, decrease of inhibin B values). 3. The values of testosterone were normal in all patients, whereas LH was elevated in patients treated for HL (stages IIIb and IV). CONCLUSION: 1. Treatment for HL of higher clinical stage leads to gonadal dysfunction, especially of spermatogenesis. 2. The treatment for NHL essentially does not have a gonadotoxic effect. 3. The cryopreservation of sperm before starting the treatment should be especially offered to young men with HL. 4. Overall, attempts must be made to design cytostatics protocols less gonadotoxic than at present.
INTRODUCTION: Chemo- and radiotherapy induce testicular damage leading to long-time or irreversible infertility. AIM: To investigate testicular function (spermato- and steroidogenesis) in adolescents and young men cured of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In thirty one patients cured of HL 5.9 +/-3.3 years ago and sixteen--cured of NHL before 5.44y +/-2.9 and in twenty one healthy men, we measured serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone using immunoenzymatic methods and inhibin B (RIA method). In ten patients, examination of semen was made. RESULTS: 1. Patients with NHL and HL in clinical stage I and IIb, presented normal values of all analyzed parameters. 2. The treatment for HL in IIb, IIIb, IV clinical stage with increasing number of therapeutic protocols, especially together with radiotherapy, led to gonadal dysfunction (increase of FSH, decrease of inhibin B values). 3. The values of testosterone were normal in all patients, whereas LH was elevated in patients treated for HL (stages IIIb and IV). CONCLUSION: 1. Treatment for HL of higher clinical stage leads to gonadal dysfunction, especially of spermatogenesis. 2. The treatment for NHL essentially does not have a gonadotoxic effect. 3. The cryopreservation of sperm before starting the treatment should be especially offered to young men with HL. 4. Overall, attempts must be made to design cytostatics protocols less gonadotoxic than at present.