197 Children Born in Europe, Some Die from Cancer
Identified as Carrier of TP53 Mutation
Causes "Li-Fraumeni Syndrome"
90% Risk of Developing Cancer Before Age 60
A man in Europe who donated sperm and fathered at least 197 children has been found to carry a rare genetic mutation that increases the risk of developing cancer. Of the children born from his sperm donations, 10 have been diagnosed with brain tumors or Hodgkin lymphoma, and some have died from cancer.
On December 10 (local time), CNN reported that "this man, who began donating sperm as a student in 2005, was found to have a TP53 gene mutation, which could cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome."
According to the investigation, the man donated sperm without knowing he carried the mutation. Initially, it was confirmed that 67 children were born in at least eight European countries as a result of his sperm donations.
However, according to information requests and interviews with medical staff and patients conducted by 14 European public broadcasters including the BBC, it is now estimated that at least 197 children have been born from this donor's sperm. The BBC noted, "Since data from all countries has not been obtained, the final number could be even higher." It has been confirmed that some of the children have already died.
The man donated sperm only to the private Danish sperm bank "European Sperm Bank" (ESB), but his sperm was later used at 67 clinics in 14 countries. It is still unclear how many of the children inherited the mutation.
Previously, in May, Edwige Kasper, a biologist at Rouen University Hospital in France, announced at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Genetics that she had identified 67 children born from this man's sperm. Kasper stated that these children are at high risk of developing cancer and require regular check-ups. She also explained that there is a 50% chance that these children could pass the mutation on to their own offspring. Kasper reported that 10 children born from this man's sperm have been diagnosed with cancers such as brain tumors or Hodgkin lymphoma.
The Cleveland Clinic in the United States explained that individuals with Li-Fraumeni syndrome have a 90% risk of developing cancer before the age of 60, and about half experience cancer before the age of 40.
Professor Clare Turnbull of the Institute of Cancer Research in London told CNN, "A diagnosis of Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a huge shock for families," adding, "There is a very high lifetime risk of cancer, including childhood cancers." Regarding this case, she described it as "an exceptional situation in which sperm from a donor with an extremely rare genetic disorder mutation was used in an unusually large number of pregnancies."
Mary Herbert, Professor of Reproductive Biology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, stated, "More precise genetic testing of sperm donors is needed, and stricter standards for donor and birth management between countries must be established." She added, "It is shocking that a single donor has fathered almost 200 children across several European countries."
ESB stated that donor testing was conducted according to regulations. Julie Pauli Boertz, spokesperson for ESB, told CNN, "We deeply regret the impact this case and the mutation have had on affected families, children, and the donor." She added, "All donors undergo individual medical evaluations according to scientific standards and relevant laws." She also expressed support for establishing limits on births from a single donor, saying, "Regulations vary greatly and are complex between countries, so a unified European standard is needed."
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