Scientists report that it is possible to restore sperm production in boys who have remained infertile after treating childhood cancer.
The numerous side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy include the fact that, in addition to malignant cells, the cells from which sperm are formed are also affected. However, in a new study on monkeys, American scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute removed the sperm-forming stem cells before treating cancer and returned the cells to their original location after treatment.
Nine out of twelve adult monkeys and three out of five prepubertal ages (not reaching puberty) were later again able to produce healthy sperm, that is, their sperm was able to fertilize the female egg. While it is possible for men with cancer to freeze sperm before starting treatment, this option is not acceptable for patients who have not yet reached puberty.
This work is a very useful step forward and clearly shows that the science of transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells may one day begin to work for people, the authors of the study say. And although the authors themselves are a little confused by the relatively low efficiency of their method today, still from the point of view of a person whose sperm cannot be left in reserve, even this possibility is very encouraging and makes this approach worthy of attention.
