Radiation and sterility in males

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I have a general question.

One of my sisters has been dating a guy for a little over a year. She is a recent college graduate, but he is a bit older...36 years old.

All my sister has ever wanted in life is to be able to have children. She talks about how many children they are going to have, etc.

She came over last night for dinner, because I'm starting school again soon, and said that they were talking about getting married, and I was very excited for her.

Then later on in the evening she explained to me that her boyfriend used to be a smoker but "ever since he got throat cancer, he quit". I was drinking my coffee, and I said, "OH, did he have surgery," She said, "Yes, and radiation."

She must have saw the color drop out of my face.

She asked me what was wrong and I said, "Honey, I am not 100% sure, but I am pretty sure that radiation leaves a man sterile...he may want to have a sperm count if you two decide to get married, so you'll both go into it knowing if it's a possibility."

Now I feel bad because I probably shouldn't have told her that. She spent the rest of the evening in tears. I started thinking about it, and if he had radiation in the throat area, would that be far enough away from the testicular area or does it really matter?

I feel like an idiot.

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Chances are they sheilded him from radiation with a lead vest, like they do in the dentist office when you get X-rays. I think having a sperm count is probably a good idea. It certainly can't hurt.

big-chicken

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

I'd be more concerned over what kind of "throat" cancer did he have -- esophogeal, thyroid, larynx? How long ago was his surgery, and how long has he been cancer free?

Females are born with all the eggs they will ever have -- men generate from "scratch" over a period of 60-90 days (I think, not quite awake yet). If it's years past his treatment, he's probably okay. Find out what kind of cancer he had, and then do a Google on that cancer and infertility. That'll tell you real quick if there's a link -- like if 6000 "infertile survivors of cancer x" websites show up...

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Thanks...I feel so bad, I probably should have had her call our father with that question (he's a physician). I have no idea of how they do radiation, but that makes sense.

I talked to her this morning and told her I probably shouldn't have opened by big fat mouth without knowing for sure, but of course, she went home, got online, and that will make anyone think that drinking water is going to kill you.

I sort of told her what you said, anytime anyone goes through that major of an illness, it sure doesn't hurt to just check.

I'll probably get a phone call from her boyfriend by the day's end.

:banghead:

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I'd be more concerned over what kind of "throat" cancer did he have -- esophogeal, thyroid, larynx? How long ago was his surgery, and how long has he been cancer free?

Females are born with all the eggs they will ever have -- men generate from "scratch" over a period of 60-90 days (I think, not quite awake yet). If it's years past his treatment, he's probably okay. Find out what kind of cancer he had, and then do a Google on that cancer and infertility. That'll tell you real quick if there's a link -- like if 6000 "infertile survivors of cancer x" websites show up...

Good question...I have no clue. She just said throat cancer.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Radiation therapy generally has local effects, not systemic.

I would guess the worst long therm s/e he would have is permanent dryness of the mouth, altered taste changes, and overall sensitivity.

I worked as a nurse extern in radiation oncology and the only pt's whose sterility that I know is affected, are prostate, colorectal, and gynecological.

Best wishes,

Diane

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Forgive yourself for caring about your sister. You didn't do anything on purpose to hurt her.

The only person who can and who should be answering this question is a physician. Whether he had radiation or not, sterility can not be determined without a sperm count. Ours opinions on this subject don't make any difference. There are many infertile men who have never had radiation.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Without knowing the person it is hard to decide whether they will have issues or not but this is really only something that can be discussed between themselves and the doctor. Did find this which I thought was useful http://www.cancer.net/patient/Coping/Emotional%20and%20Physical%20Matters/Sexual%20and%20Reproductive%20Health/Fertility%20and%20Cancer%20Treatment

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For radiation therapy of throat cancer, he would have only had radiation directed to the throat- not the testes. The radiation used is ionized only to the given site. The therapists cut blocks in the shape of the site and the radiation reaches only this area. The equipment they use has such precision, that they can determine where the radiation is directed in millimeters.

You were probably thinking of total body irradiation used for bone marrow transplant, which could have irradiated his testicle area, however, this is not what it appears that he had.

I highly doubt that he is sterile.

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It sounds like you shouldn't be giving out advice for which you have no knowledge base for.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
It sounds like you shouldn't be giving out advice for which you have no knowledge base for.

wow, that's productive. Thanks for contributing.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Hi...my hubby and I are ex-infertility patients. My hubby has no sperm but not due to radiation; his urologist thinks it is all the high fevers he had as a kid.

Anyway, if he should be sterile, there are still many options to have children. We used donor sperm and I did get pg 3 times but m/c'ed (however I have other problems, so it most likely isn't the donor's fault that I didn't stay pg).

Also, there is adoption. We adopted a beautiful baby boy last summer in July; we got him when he was 2 days old. He is now 13 1/2 months.

Hope this helps!

Blessings, Michelle

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