67 Children Born from Donor Sperm... 10 Diagnosed with Cancer, What Happened?

10 Diagnosed with Cancer, 13 Carry the Gene
"The Fundamental Problem Lies in Lack of Regulation"

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As the sperm of a man with a rare cancer-related genetic mutation has been used to conceive numerous children across Europe, there are growing calls for stronger regulations to prevent such cases in advance.

According to CNN on the 27th (local time), Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, reported at the European Society of Human Genetics annual conference held in Milan, Italy, on the 24th that out of at least 67 children born to 46 families between 2008 and 2015 using the donor's sperm, 10 have been diagnosed with cancer.

Kasper stated, "I believe the core of the (fundamental) problem lies in the regulation, or lack of regulation, concerning the number of births per single donor."

Analysis revealed that the healthy donor carried a rare mutation in the TP53 gene, which is known to cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare disorder that significantly increases the risk of developing cancer. In her presentation, Kasper explained, "At the time of donation, the mutation was not known, but children born from this donor have been identified in eight European countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom."

Among these children, 10 have been diagnosed with cancers such as brain tumors or Hodgkin lymphoma, while another 13 children carry the gene but have not yet developed cancer. Because these individuals are at high risk of developing cancer, they must undergo regular health screenings, and the probability of passing the cancer risk to their own children is estimated to be about 50%.

In a press release, Dr. Kasper stated, "The follow-up protocol includes whole-body MRI scans, brain MRI scans, breast MRI scans for adults, abdominal ultrasound examinations, and clinical assessments by specialists," adding, "Although this is a burdensome and difficult process for carriers, we have confirmed its effectiveness in improving patient survival by detecting tumors at an early stage."