MALE-FERTILITY AFTER VAPEC-B CHEMOTHERAPY FOR HODGKINS-DISEASE AND NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA

Semen analysis was performed in 14 men a median of 13.5 months after c ompletion of VAPEC-B chemotherapy for Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin 's lymphoma. Semen from 12 patients contained motile spermatozoa, and in nine cases the count was > 20 million ml(-1). One patient was azoos permic (VAPEC-B followed by pelvic radiotherapy) and another had a cou nt of 21 million ml(-1) but sperm were non-motile. These findings sugg est that, in the majority of cases, VAPEC-B chemotherapy does not caus e permanent damage to the male germinal epithelium. A more detailed st udy of gonadal function in males and females before and after treatmen t with VAPEC-B for Hodgkin's disease is currently in progress.