Male Reproductive Health After Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancers: A Report From the Children's Oncology Group

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Lisa B. Kenney, Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Laurie E. Cohen, Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Margarett Shnorhavorian, Seattle Children's Hospital; Monika L. Metzger, St Jude Children's Research Hospital; Barbara Lockart, Children's Memorial Hospital; Nobuko Hijiya, Northwestern University; Eileen Duffey-Lind, Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Louis Constine, University of Rochester; Daniel Green, St Jude Children's Research Hospital; Lillian Meacham, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-09-20
• Publisher: AMER SOC CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2011.38.6938
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY
• Volume: 30
• Issue: 27
• Start Page: 3408
• End Page: 3416
• Keywords: ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION; GERM-CELL TRANSPLANTATION; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA; HODGKINS-DISEASE; GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING-HORMONE; GONADAL-FUNCTION; TERM-FOLLOW-UP; Oncology; Science & Technology; FERTILITY PRESERVATION; TESTICULAR CANCER; CENTRAL PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Oncology; Biology, Cell

Abstract

The majority of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer will become long-term survivors. Although cancer therapy is associated with many adverse effects, one of the primary concerns of young male cancer survivors is reproductive health. Future fertility is often the focus of concern; however, it must be recognized that all aspects of male health, including pubertal development, testosterone production, and sexual function, can be impaired by cancer therapy. Although pretreatment strategies to preserve reproductive health have been beneficial to some male patients, many survivors remain at risk for long-term reproductive complications. Understanding risk factors and monitoring the reproductive health of young male survivors are important aspects of follow-up care. The Children's Oncology Group Long-Term Follow-Up Guidelines for Survivors of Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer (COG-LTFU Guidelines) were created by the COG to provide recommendations for follow-up care of survivors at risk for long-term complications. The male health task force of the COG-LTFU Guidelines, composed of pediatric oncologists, endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, a urologist, and a radiation oncologist, is responsible for updating the COG-LTFU Guidelines every 2 years based on literature review and expert consensus. This review summarizes current task force recommendations for the assessment and management of male reproductive complications after treatment for childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers. Issues related to male health that are being investigated, but currently not included in the COG-LTFU Guidelines, are also discussed. Ongoing investigation will inform future COG-LTFU Guideline recommendations for follow-up care to improve health and quality of life for male survivors.