Effects of Chemotherapy on Sperm Cells

STUDY BASICS

Are you a man age 18-50 who is scheduled to undergo treatment with chemotherapy for a medical condition? If so, you may be able to participate in a research study to find out if the sperm collected shortly after starting chemotherapy is safe and effective for future use.

STUDY PURPOSE

Certain types of chemotherapy may place people at high risk for infertility. It is currently recommended that men cryopreserve (freeze) semen prior to the start of chemotherapy, but that does not always occur. In some cases, men want to freeze semen just after starting chemotherapy. While these men may still have normal sperm counts, it is unknown if this sperm would be safe to use in the future. The purpose of this study is to find out if sperm collected shortly after starting chemotherapy is safe and effective to use in the future.

COULD THIS STUDY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

• Men between 18-50 years of age who are scheduled to undergo treatment with chemotherapy for a medical condition

WHAT PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

Study participation involves semen collection before and after chemotherapy begins. The study will cover the costs for semen analysis, sperm freezing, and the first year of storage for all participants who complete the study. After the first year, participants will pay a storage fee (approximately $300/year) if they wish to continue storing their samples.