Children fathered by men treated with chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

In a study designed to assess the potential teratogenic effect of paternal chemotherapy, information was obtained on 131 children fathered by 107 men treated for metastatic testicular cancer. Of this group, first born children fathered by 96 chemotherapy patients were compared with 96 children fathered by matched controls. There was no excess of malformations (relative risk 1.0, 95% confidence intervals 0.41 and 2.40). In addition, the rates for specific malformations in the total cohort of 131 children were compared with the general population. There were no significant differences from national rates although the rate for congenital heart disease was higher than expected.