Male fertility in long-term survivors of childhood ALL

A study of fertility was conducted in postpubertal male patients who had be en treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during childhood or adole scence between 1970 and 1980. Thirteen men (age 18 to 35 years) participate d on a volunteer basis. Their age at diagnosis was between 2 and 15 years. Therapy followed the protocol "Memphis VII (Pinkel)." Interview, physical e xamination, andrological studies (ejaculate), and hormone status (luteinizi ng hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone) were performed at least 5 years after completion of therapy. No normozoospermia was achiev ed; 10 patients were identified with asthenozoospermia and 3 patients with azoospermia. With respect to these data, patients treated for ALL between 1 970 and 1980 have more significantly impaired spermatogenesis than expected .