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Is Male Infertility a Natural Defense or Forerunner of Cancer?

Ayodele O Ekun, Alfred Azenabor and Oluyemi Akinloye

Infertility connotes inability to become pregnant after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. Male factor is known to be responsible for almost 50% of cases of infertility. There are increasing evidences of possible association between infertility, especially male infertility and cancer. Higher risk of subsequently developing testicular cancer and clinically important prostate cancer has been suggested. Hence, there is possibility of common etiologic factors for male infertility and metastasis of these reproductive organs. The main circulatory androgen in man, testosterone is known to function as prohormone that is converted to active steroid, dihydrotestosterone by the enzyme 5α-reductase in the prostatic cells. This hormone and enzyme are not only important in spermatogenesis and maturation of sperm cells but important in prostatic growth and development of prostate cancer. The level of 5α-reductase in particular increased in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer and continues to rise as the disease progresses. Mutation and polymorphism of androgen receptor has been related to both prostate cancer and infertility. Furthermore, protostomes which is a small membrane-bound vesicle that are produced within the prostate acini are known to fuse with and transfer proteins to spermatozoa, enhancing their motility and modulating their functions. The corpus function and production of this protostomes in metastasis will directly affect the quality and function of sperm cells, consequently causing infertility. Cancer of the testicular germ cells has also been implicated in decline semen quality and infertility. In addition, testicular dysgenesis syndrome; a theoretical constructs attempted to relate environmental modulators, genetics, and infertility in the development of testicular cancer. Reactive oxygen species and free radicals damages of DNA and faulty DNA repair are also common mechanism implicated in both male infertility and cancer. This article reviews the suggested associations and possible related mechanisms that contribute to cancer of reproductive organs and male infertility