Most young men with cancer say, "Even if I die young, I still want to be a parent." But often they aren't given the chance to preserve their sperm, according to a report in Journal of Clinical Oncology (Vol. 20, No. 7: 1880-1899).

Chemotherapy, which is the standard treatment for most cancers in young people, usually causes infertility for both men and women.

Sometimes infertility is temporary, but it can be permanent. Sperm banking for men has been a way of overcoming this problem.

Because of advances in infertility therapy, sperm banking has become even more useful. Many young men with cancer have low sperm counts. With new technology, even sperm from a low count can be used to fertilize a woman's egg.

But, Leslie Schover, PhD, the lead author of the article, said men aren't told about sperm banking when they are diagnosed with cancer. Schover and her colleagues surveyed 200 men about their experience when they were diagnosed with cancer. Most had leukemia, lymphoma, or testicular cancer.

Although most wanted to be a parent in the future, only 60% of the men recalled being told that their fertility would be impaired. And only half were told about sperm banking.

But when they were asked if they wanted to be a father, most answered yes, even though they knew they might not survive their cancer. The cancer experience also led many of the young men to say they would be better parents because of it.

In a companion study in the same issue (1890-1897), Schover explored why the men did not get referred for sperm banking. This time they asked oncologists.

More than 90% of the oncologists said they believed sperm banking should be offered, but only 10% offered it to all their patients.

The doctors had several reasons for their failure. One common one was they felt the disease needed immediate treatment. They couldn't wait for the man to bank his sperm.

But, according to Schover, sperm banking can be accomplished in one day. The doctors haven't kept up their knowledge about sperm banking, Schover said. Another problem that became apparent was that the doctors didn't feel they had enough time to discuss sperm banking. The doctors said they used their time to educate the patient about their cancer and its treatment.

Another problem was cost — insurance won't pay for sperm banking, which can cost around $1,500 to $2,000 for five years, according to Schover.

But all young men with cancer should have the opportunity to bank their sperm, said Schover. Patients can use the Internet to find the nearest facility.

Finally, she advocated the need for insurance coverage for sperm banking. "It's time for professional groups from oncology and infertility to join together in lobbying for insurance coverage … for technologies for patients who lose fertility as a consequence of cancer treatment," she said.