Abstract
Testicular biopsies were performed in boys, previously treated or currently receiving chemotherapy for ALL, to establish the incidence of occult leukaemic infiltration. The general morphology of the testicular biopsies was also studied and each boy underwent an HCG test and an LHRH test. We studied 44 boys, 32 prepubertal, 8 early pubertal and 4 late pubertal. The mean tubular fertility index (TFI = percentage of tubules containing spermatogonia) was reduced to 51%. The mean basal FSH, LH and testosterone levels, mean peak gonadotrophin responses to LHRH and mean testosterone responses to HCG did not differ between the prepubertal and early pubertal ALL groups compared to groups of normal boys of similar pubertal maturation. The late pubertal ALL group was too small for such comparison. No significant relationship existed between the TFI and any of the hormonal indices studied. Individually 3 prepubertal ALL boys (n=32), 3 early pubertal (n=8) and 2 late pubertal (n=4) showed an abnormality in their gonadotrophin responses to LHRH but only 1 of the 44 ALL boys had no testosterone response to HCG. We conclude that moderately severe tubular damage of the testis unassociated with Leydig cell impairment may not be detected in the prepubertal boy using current tests of testicular function.
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Shalet, S., Jones, P., Lendon, M. et al. Testicular function and morphology after chemotherapy in childhood for ALL. Pediatr Res 13, 1192 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00069
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197910000-00069