New research shows that frozen testicle tissue could help male cancer patients become fertile again.
A new study conducted by a team at the University of Pennsylvania found that frozen testicle tissue could restore fertility for male cancer patients who have gone through radiotherapy and chemo. The New York Post reports that if properly defrosted and then implanted, a patient could start producing sperm.
The study showed that testicular tissue was better if used after a short amount of time. It could still be used, even 20 years after being frozen.
“This could provide a method to recover the loss of fertility in prepubertal boys treated for cancer,” says Dr. Eoin Whelan, a postdoctoral researcher studying male germline stem cells.
“Our study showed that rat stem cells can be successfully frozen for over 20 years, transplanted into an infertile animal, and regenerate the ability to produce sperm, albeit at a reduced rate,” he continued.
