Men with infertility, and their relatives, have been found to be at an increased risk of some cancers, though the specific cancer risk varies greatly.
A study of men in Utah, published in Human Reproduction, has identified a connection between an increased risk of some cancers, and extremely low (less than 1.5 million per millilitre of semen) sperm counts, or having no sperm at all. Increased cancer risk was observed not only for the men studied, but also their relatives and offspring, compared to fertile men and their relatives. Different risk patterns for several cancer types were identified, but the reasons behind the correlations were not examined.
'When family members share cancer risk patterns, it suggests that they have genetic, environmental, or health behaviours in common. By identifying which groups of families have similar cancer risk patterns we can improve our understanding of the biological mechanisms of both cancer and infertility,' said study first author Dr Joemy Ramsay, from University of Utah School of Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, identified participants who presented with reduced sperm counts at fertility clinics in Utah between 1996 and 2017. The number and type of cancer diagnoses in their relatives was analysed and compared to the general population. This analysis used the Utah Population Database which integrates health, genealogical and demographical data. Participants were only categorised based on sperm counts, with no distinction in the specific cause. Sperm counts for fertile men were not analysed or recorded.
The analysis grouped families into clusters based on the types of cancer diagnosed. For families of men with no or low sperm, 12 familial clusters were identified that had increased risk of developing at least one type of cancer. However, 66 percent of families analysed had no increased cancer risk compared to the general population. A reduced risk of oesophageal cancer was connected to both no and low sperm counts.
'This builds on a growing body of evidence which suggests that a diagnosis of male infertility is associated with other medical conditions, both in the men themselves and also in their wider family.' said Professor Allan Pacey, professor of andrology at the University of Manchester and trustee of PET (the Progress Educational Trust) which publishes BioNews, who was not involved in the study.
Specific genetic or environmental causes for the variation in cancer risk were not investigated. The group is carrying out genetic sequencing to find specific genetic differences. Environmental factors affecting cancer risk will also need to be investigated.
'Although this new study is well done in my opinion, it does have a number of limitations which the authors themselves highlight in the paper. For example, we don't know anything about the background of the men and their families, and therefore whether their risk of cancer or male infertility is linked to other factors (e.g. smoking) that were not taken into account,' added Professor Pacey.
Sources and References
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Describing patterns of familial cancer risk in subfertile men using population pedigree data
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Children of men with low sperm counts have up to 150% increased risk of cancer, first-of-its kind study suggests
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Relatives of men with fertility issues may be at higher risk of cancer
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Cancer risk heightened in children of men with low sperm counts
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Men producing low or no sperm are at higher risk of cancer
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Families of men with fertility problems show distinct patterns of increased risk for several types of cancer
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