[Serum hormones that regulate the reproductive axis in men with testicular germ cell cancer and its impact on fertility]. / Hormonas séricas que regulan el eje reproductor en el varón con cáncer germinal de testículo y su repercusión en la fertilidad.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies treat testicular germ cancer as a single disease, the behavior of the two histological types of cancer; seminoma and nonseminoma have differences in reproductive hormone secretion and impair fertility differently. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that the serum concentration of pituitary hormones involved in fertility and spermatogenesis in the affected male is different in the two histological types. METHODS: Were determined by radioimmunoassay or inmunoradiometric assay, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, total testosterone, prolactin, estradiol, human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha fetoprotein in 37 patients with germ cell cancer (15 seminoma and 22 nonseminoma) and 35 controls. We analyzed the semen of patients, and were questioned about paternity before the cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: Age was higher in patients with seminoma cancer, showed decreased luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and testosterone and increased estradiol and prolactin in nonseminoma compared with seminoma. In patients with nonseminoma they had 9 children, 5 were oligozoospermic, 3 azoospermic and 6 normal concentration, 8 did not provide sample, seminoma group they had eight children, only one azoospermic, nine normal concentration, and 5 did not provide sample . CONCLUSIONS: The hormonal behavior is different in men with nonseminoma compared with seminoma, so that the negative impact on the reproductive axis and fertility is higher in cases of non-seminoma.

Antecedentes: los estudios epidemiológicos tratan al cáncer germinal de testículo como una sola patología, el comportamiento de los dos tipos histológicos: el seminoma y no seminoma tienen diferencias en la secreción de hormonas reproductivas y alteran la fertilidad de forma diferente. Objetivo: demostrar que la concentración sérica de las hormonas hipofisarias que intervienen en la fertilidad y espermatogénesis en el varón afectado es diferente en los dos tipos histológicos. Material y métodos: estudio clínico, prospectivo, transversal, comparativo de tres grupos de pacientes. Por medio de radioinmunoensayo o ensayo inmunorradiométrico se determinaron las concentraciones de: hormona luteinizante, hormona folículo estimulante, testosterona total, prolactina, estradiol, gonadotropina coriónica humana y alfa feto proteína en suero de 37 pacientes (15 seminoma, y 22 no seminoma) y 35 controles. Se analizó el semen de los pacientes y se les interrogó acerca de su satisfacción de paternidad antes del diagnóstico de cáncer. Resultados: los pacientes con cáncer tipo seminoma fueron de mayor edad, se encontró disminución de: hormona luteinizante, hormona folículo estimulante y testosterona; aumento de: estradiol y prolactina en cáncer no seminoma, en comparación con seminoma. En los pacientes con no seminoma 9 ya tenían hijos, 5 eran oligozoospérmicos, 3 azoospérmicos y 6 con concentración normal 8 no proporcionaron muestra; en el grupo de seminona, 8 ya tenían hijos, sólo 1 azoospérmico; 9 concentración normal, y 5 no proporcionaron muestra. Conclusiones: el comportamiento hormonal es diferente en los hombres con cáncer no seminoma en comparación con los de seminoma, por lo que la repercusión negativa en el eje reproductor y fertilidad es mayor en los casos de no seminoma.

[Fertility and testicular function in a patient with germ cell extragonadal tumor. A report of a case]. / Fertilidad y función testicular en un paciente con tumor extragonadal de células germinales. Comunicación de un caso.

Males are affected from primary extragonadal germ cell tumors with a frequency of 2 to 5%. There is a high incidence of infertility of more than 60% and most of the cases have azoospermia due to testicular damage. The hormonal profile of these patients shows normal luteinizing hormone, normal follicle stimulating hormone and normal testosterone and estradiol. We communicate the case of a male who had a primary retroperitoneal germ cell tumor with a low title of chorionic gonadotropin, elevated estradiol and normal testosterone, prolactin and seminogram. Before beginning treatment with chemotherapy, his wife became pregnant delivering twins, both males. The patient was treated with chemo and radiotherapy after which he became azoospermic with an increase in both luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating, decreased levels of estradiol and without alteration in prolactin and testosterone. The pituitary testicle axis was affected by the tumor, but the microenvironment of the testicles did not seem to be damaged only after initiating treatment.