Sperm Donor Linked to Cancer Diagnoses in 10 Children, Sparks Urgent Questions on Genetic Screening

 

A truly heartbreaking and alarming situation has come to light, as the diagnoses of cancer in at least 10 children have been tragically traced back to a single sperm donor carrying a rare, cancer-linked genetic variant. This devastating discovery, which unfolded as families began asking crucial questions, is now prompting urgent discussions within the fertility industry about genetic screening and donor practices.

The chain of events began when two families, whose children had been diagnosed with cancers linked to an uncommon genetic mutation, reached out to their respective fertility clinics. Their inquiries ultimately led to the unfortunate revelation, detailed in a new report from The Guardian, published just last Friday, May 23rd. The case was further brought into the spotlight on Saturday, May 24th, when French biologist Dr. Edwige Kasper presented her findings at the European Society of Human Genetics conference in Milan.

The European Sperm Bank, the agency that supplied the sperm, has confirmed the presence of the rare genetic variant in some of the donor's samples. Dr. Kasper’s lab concluded that this variant is likely to cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome, an inherited predisposition to various cancers.

As investigations, both separate and simultaneous, progressed, the scale of the issue became more apparent. The variant, located in a gene known as TP53, was found in a total of 23 children conceived with the donor sperm. Among these, a distressing 10 children had already been diagnosed with aggressive cancers, including leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and other forms.

The European Sperm Bank, which recruits donors across Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, has confirmed that the donor’s sperm was used to conceive more than 67 children. All relevant fertility clinics have been promptly alerted to this critical situation.

Julie Paulli Budtz, a spokesperson for the company, conveyed their deep distress over the case to The Guardian. Budtz emphasized the scientific challenge of detecting such mutations without knowing precisely what to look for, even with thorough pre-donation testing. She also noted that in 2008, when the donation occurred, the mutation was not yet linked to cancer, and standard screening procedures would not have detected it. Crucially, the donor himself is reportedly in good health, providing no initial reason for suspicion.

However, Dr. Edwige Kasper highlighted a critical systemic concern, questioning whether the donor’s sperm was indeed used just 67 times, or potentially more. “They didn’t want to tell me the denominator of the births for this donor,” she remarked, underscoring a lack of transparency.

Dr. Kasper’s findings have ignited a vital call for stricter regulations within Europe's sperm donation industry. "We need to have a European limit on the number of births or families for a single donor," she urged. While acknowledging the impracticality of whole-genome sequencing for all donors, she stressed, "This is the abnormal dissemination of genetic disease. Not every man has 75 children across Europe."

This heartbreaking case serves as a powerful reminder of the complex ethical and scientific challenges within assisted reproduction, advocating for stronger safeguards to protect future generations.