Studies on the influence of radiation and chemotherapy on pituitary-testicular axis in patients with testicular tumor

Radiation and chemotherapy have been known as the highly effective treatment of patients with testicular tumor. To evaluate the influences of the therapies on pituitary-testicular axis, plasma FSH, LH and testosterone were determined by radioimmunoassay in 60 patients with testicular tumor before and after 1 to 102 months in the completion of radiation and chemotherapy. The results were summarized as follows: 1) In 10 out of 24 patients, plasma FSH and LH levels significantly increased within 20 months after 2,100 - 4,500 rad/3 - 6 weeks of radiation therapy. 2) In combination chromotherapy popularly used for testicular tumor, plasma FSH and LH in 8 of 22 patients markedly elevated within 20 months after the treatment. 3) The elevated gonadotropins returned to normal levels in approximately 50 months in patients received radiation or chemotherapy. 4) Plasma testosterone revealed normal levels in any therapeutic programs employed in the present study. 5) From the results of Gn-RH test, the pituitary gland seemed to have normal function. 6) Plasma testosterone showed incomplete response to hCG stimulation after 1 to 35 months of radiation or chemotherapy. Therefore, it was suggested that radiation and chemotherapy for the treatment of testicular tumor may impair not only seminiferous tubules but also Leydig cell for a couple of years. (author)