Recovery of spermatogenesis after completing the chemotherapy may be categorized as:
(1) good chance
(2) intermediate chance
(3) poor chance
Drugs and regimens associated with limited impact and a good chance of recovery:
(1) adriamycin
(2) androgens
(3) cisplatin
(4) doxorubicin
(5) estrogens
(6) 6-mercaptopurine
(7) methotrexate
(8) prednisone
(9) thioguanine
Drugs and regimens associated with some impact and an intermediate chance of recovery:
(1) ABVD (doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine)
(2) PEB (cisplatin, etopiside, bleomycin)
(3) vincristine
Drugs and regimens associated with significant impact and a poor chance of recovery:
(1) chlorambucil (alklyating agent)
(2) cyclophosphamide (alkylating agent)
(3) mechlorethamine
(4) MOPP (nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone)
(5) procarbazine
Ways to manage a male who wants to maintain fertility:
(1) use a drug or drug regimen associated with better recovery of spermatogenesis
(2) use the lowest effective dose
(3) cryopreserve semen prior to starting the chemotherapy
(4) consider use of gonadotropin-releasing hormones to help protect cells
