Male Infertility A child of my own - Andrology Australia

APPENDICESRADIATIONHow does radiation affect sperm production?Radiation treatment for testicular or other cancersnear the testes can damage the testis, leavingpermanent problems with sperm production.Radiation therapy is designed to attack and destroyrapidly dividing cells, so the lining of the spermproducingtubes in the testis can easily be damaged.During radiotherapy, a healthy testis is protectedfrom the x-rays but some exposure may happenand sometimes lowers sperm counts. This can betemporary or permanent.What treatment is recommended for men whoare having radiation therapy for cancer?All men who are about to have radiotherapyshould discuss the effects of their treatment ontheir fertility with their doctors. Semen samplesshould be collected and frozen at a fertility clinicwith liquid nitrogen storage facilities, beforeradiation treatment starts. Semen can be storedlong-term for future use. If men want children ata later stage, the frozen semen can be thawed andused in fertility treatments such as IVF.[See section: ‘Having a Family’ for more information]MALE INFERTILITY 101