Sperm donor with cancer gene fathers 67 children, 10 of them have cancer now

India Today

6 days ago

A shocking case from Europe has ignited concerns over sperm donation regulations.A donor, who unknowingly carried a rare cancer-linked genetic mutation, has fathered at least 67 children, ten of whom have already been diagnosed with cancer.The donor's sperm, used between 2008 and 2015, led to children being born in eight European countries, which has raised urgent questions about the limits placed on donor use and genetic screening procedures.advertisement
The issue came to light during a presentation by Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, at the annual European Society of Human Genetics conference in Milan.The researcher explained that the donor carried a mutation in the TP53 gene, which is linked to Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare genetic disorder known to increase a person's lifetime risk of developing cancer.At the time of the donations, the mutation was not known or detectable through standard genetic screening.The donor appeared healthy, and his sperm was distributed only through a private sperm bank in Denmark, the European Sperm Bank. However, years later, a pattern emerged as doctors across Europe began to notice a worrying trend among children conceived with his sperm.
A donor, who unknowingly carried a rare cancer-linked genetic mutation, has fathered at least 67 children, ten of whom have already been diagnosed with cancer. ()
advertisementSo far, 10 children have developed serious cancers such as brain tumors, leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. An additional 13 children carry the mutation and are at high risk of developing cancer in the future."This mutation acts like a ticking time bomb. Children who inherited it need lifelong monitoring with frequent and intensive screenings," Kasper said in a press statement.Doctors have recommended regular whole-body MRIs, brain scans, and abdominal ultrasounds for affected children.Though the process is stressful and heavy, early detection has already helped catch some cancers early, giving affected children a better chance at survival.What makes this case more alarming is that there is currently no international limit on how many children can be born from a single sperm donor, according to a report by The Guardian.Although the European Sperm Bank has since implemented its own limit of 75 families per donor, the damage may have already been done."This case is deeply troubling. We followed and even exceeded genetic screening protocols, but no test can screen for all 20,000 human genes unless you know exactly what to look for," said Julie Paulli Budtz, Vice President of Corporate Communications at the European Sperm Bank told CNN.advertisementThe complexity of sperm donations across borders also poses a significant challenge.As donor sperm is distributed internationally, it becomes increasingly difficult to track outcomes and ensure safety.While the donor is reportedly still healthy and unaware of the mutation at the time of donation, the fact remains that his genetic variant has now impacted dozens of children and their families, many of whom now face lifelong medical interventions.Kasper's team has called for genetic counselling for all affected children and for a serious review of sperm donation policies.Must Watch