A sperm donor with a rare cancer-causing gene mutation unknowingly fathered at least 67 children across Europe, leading to 10 cancer diagnoses
A European sperm donor, unknowingly carrying a rare cancer-causing gene mutation, fathered at least 67 children across eight countries between 2008 and 2015. Ten of these children have since been diagnosed with cancers such as leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The mutation, found in the TP53 gene, is associated with Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a hereditary cancer predisposition. At the time of donation, the link between the mutation and cancer was not known, and standard screenings did not detect it. The European Sperm Bank, which supplied the sperm, confirmed that 23 children carry the mutation. The donor, who remains in good health, had his sperm used in at least 67 families, though the exact number remains undisclosed. The case has sparked calls for stricter regulations on sperm donation and better tracking systems to prevent the spread of genetic diseases.
Julie Paulli Budtz, a spokesperson for the European Sperm Bank, stated, “We are deeply affected by this case” and emphasized the need for internationally mandated family limits for donors