Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Practice Test

Gonadal tissue is highly sensitive to many chemotherapy drugs, so reproductive problems mainly arise from damage to the ovaries and testes. When these gonads are damaged, ovarian follicles can be destroyed, leading to irregular or absent menstrual cycles and infertility in women, while in men, sperm production can drop, potentially causing reduced fertility or infertility and, in some cases, hormonal changes. The pancreas, thyroid, and adrenal glands aren’t directly involved in producing gametes, so they’re not the organs whose injury most directly causes reproductive problems.