A study suggests that relatives of men with fewer than 1.5 million sperm per milliliter of semen or no sperm at all may be more likely than the general population to develop certain cancers.
Relatives of men with fertility problems may face a higher risk of cancer, although the risk varies substantially between families. The study found that some relatives within three generations were more likely to develop cancers including colon, testicular, and uterine cancer. Risk varied by family line and by whether the man had azoospermia or a low sperm count.
Male infertility has been associated with several health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. Previous research has also identified a link between male infertility and increased cancer risk among relatives.
Joemy Ramsay and colleagues at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City suspected that the pattern might differ between families. They analyzed 360 men with sperm counts below 1.5 million per milliliter of semen, considered very low, and 426 men with no sperm. These men were age-matched with more than 5,600 other men who had at least one biological child. The researchers did not know whether any participants were transgender.
They then used Utah databases to obtain information on cancer diagnoses among the men’s first-, second-, and third-degree relatives.
The team found that, compared with the general population, relatives within three generations of men with low sperm counts were more likely to develop colon and testicular cancer. Some relatives of men with no sperm were more likely to develop sarcoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and uterine and thyroid cancer. Bone and joint cancers occurred much more often than in the general population in both groups.
The researchers then used specially developed software to identify patterns across families—both fertile and infertile groups—in the combined risk of cancers at 34 sites in the body. This produced clusters that allowed them to identify trends within families.
Among relatives of men with no sperm, two-thirds had no higher cancer risk than the general population. Others, however, had substantially higher risks of various cancers, with patterns differing between families. Some families showed higher risks of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults.
All relatives of men with low sperm counts had an increased risk of at least one cancer compared with the general population, although the degree of risk and type of cancer varied.
It is unclear why these risks are elevated, but genetic factors or environmental exposures shared among relatives may be involved. Further research should investigate this and could lead to tests that identify families at greater risk, Ramsay said.
News | Relatives of Men with Fertility Problems May Face Higher Cancer Risk
A study suggests that relatives of men with fewer than 1.5 million sperm per milliliter of semen or no sperm at all may be more likely than the general population to develop certain cancers.
Relatives of men with fertility problems may face a higher risk of cancer, although the risk varies substantially between families. The study found that some relatives within three generations were more likely to develop cancers including colon, testicular, and uterine cancer. Risk varied by family line and by whether the man had azoospermia or a low sperm count.
Male infertility has been associated with several health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. Previous research has also identified a link between male infertility and increased cancer risk among relatives.
Joemy Ramsay and colleagues at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City suspected that the pattern might differ between families. They analyzed 360 men with sperm counts below 1.5 million per milliliter of semen, considered very low, and 426 men with no sperm. These men were age-matched with more than 5,600 other men who had at least one biological child. The researchers did not know whether any participants were transgender.
They then used Utah databases to obtain information on cancer diagnoses among the men’s first-, second-, and third-degree relatives.
The team found that, compared with the general population, relatives within three generations of men with low sperm counts were more likely to develop colon and testicular cancer. Some relatives of men with no sperm were more likely to develop sarcoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and uterine and thyroid cancer. Bone and joint cancers occurred much more often than in the general population in both groups.
The researchers then used specially developed software to identify patterns across families—both fertile and infertile groups—in the combined risk of cancers at 34 sites in the body. This produced clusters that allowed them to identify trends within families.
Among relatives of men with no sperm, two-thirds had no higher cancer risk than the general population. Others, however, had substantially higher risks of various cancers, with patterns differing between families. Some families showed higher risks of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults.
All relatives of men with low sperm counts had an increased risk of at least one cancer compared with the general population, although the degree of risk and type of cancer varied.
It is unclear why these risks are elevated, but genetic factors or environmental exposures shared among relatives may be involved. Further research should investigate this and could lead to tests that identify families at greater risk, Ramsay said.
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