How can testicular cancer be treated

How often, and for how long follow-up care is needed is based on your diagnosis. If cancer returns, the doctor will want to find it and treat it quickly. Additional treatment depends on the cancer type and location.

RPLND surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are options. The removal of one testicle should not change your sexual energy or fertility chances of having a child. Most men can have a normal erection after surgery. Still, men diagnosed with testicular cancer have a higher risk of infertility and low testosterone than the others. You may also have a brief decrease in sperm growth. If lymph nodes were removed, it may be harder to ejaculate. If you have problems, there are drugs that can help with ejaculation.

If you are worried, talk with your doctor. You can also keep in mind using a bank sperm before treatment. As you heal, your body will find balance.

Over time, the healthy testicle and lymph nodes will make enough testosterone to help you return to normal. Your doctor may check hormone levels on an annual basis as part of your check-up. Their risk for cardiovascular disease rises after treatment.

Simple lifestyle changes can prevent problems. Be sure to ask for regular check-ups to test your blood pressure, lipid and glucose levels. Most often, no new tumor will grow after treatment. Self-exams are very helpful for piece-of-mind. Monthly self-exams are the best way to find a tumor early. Check the testicles right after a hot bath or shower when the scrotal skin is most relaxed. The exam should be done while standing and it only takes a few minutes.

If you find a lump, swelling, pain or other change, get it checked out. Changes are not always cancer, but if it is cancer, you have the best chance for a cure if you see your urologist right away. Most boys can have children when they grow-up. Generally, normal sperm growth occurs in the final testicle, and a man can stay fertile.

Still, there is a greater risk of infertility than the general population. Talk with your doctor about this before surgery. Sperm banking and fertility coaching are options. Survivors of testicular cancer can involve fertility physicians early on often within 6 months. This is an outpatient procedure so most boys return home the same day. Your son should avoid contact sports for at least two weeks, but should be able to return to school within one week.

The scrotum will be swollen after surgery. The swelling most often goes down within two to four weeks. You should be able to do most of your normal activities after two to three weeks. Wait for the incision to heal before having sex. Avoid lifting heavy objects or things that call for a lot of physical effort for a few weeks.

This web site has been optimized for user experience and security, therefore Internet Explorer IE is not a recommended browser. Thank you. Urology A-Z Testicular Cancer. What is Testicular Cancer? The Testicles The testicles are part of the male reproductive system.

Signs of a testicular tumor are: A painless lump in the testicle the most common sign Swelling of the testicle with or without pain or a feeling of weight in the scrotum Pain or a dull ache in the testicle, scrotum or groin Tenderness or changes in the male breast tissue If you find any lump or firm part of the testicle, you should see a doctor to find out if it is a tumor.

Often treated with antibiotics. Testicular torsion: twisting of the testicles. Often treated with surgery. Inguinal hernia: when part of the intestine pokes through a weak part of the stomach muscles near the groin.

Hydrocele: when fluid builds up in the scrotum. This often goes away without treatment. More about Undescended Testes Men with a history of undescended testicles cryptorchidism are more likely to develop a tumor than other men. Testicular Self-Exam The best time to do a testicular self-exam is after a warm bath or shower, while standing, when the scrotum is relaxed.

To start: Check each testicle. Gently but firmly roll each testicle between the thumb and forefingers. Feel the whole surface. The firmness of the testis should be the same all around. Find the epididymis and vas deferens. These are soft, tube-like structures above and behind the testicle. These tubes collect and carry sperm. Just become familiar with how these cords feel.

Lumps or bumps are not normal even if they cause no pain. Pain is not normal. Talk to your doctor about your options for preserving your sperm before beginning radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy treatment uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout your body to kill cancer cells that may have migrated from the original tumor.

Chemotherapy may be your only treatment, or it may be recommended before or after lymph node removal surgery. Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the specific drugs being used. Ask your doctor what to expect. Common side effects include fatigue, nausea, hair loss and an increased risk of infection. There are medications and treatments available that reduce some of the side effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may also lead to infertility in some men, which can be permanent in some cases.

Talk to your doctor about your options for preserving your sperm before beginning chemotherapy. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Subscribe for free and receive an in-depth guide to coping with cancer, plus helpful advice on how to get a second opinion.

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Each man comes to terms with his testicular cancer and deals with the ensuing emotions in his own way. You may feel scared and unsure of your future after your diagnosis. While feelings of anxiety may never go away, you can create a plan to help manage your emotions. Try to:. Make an appointment with your family doctor or a general practitioner if you find a lump on a testicle. If your doctor suspects you could have testicular cancer, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions of the urinary tract and male reproductive system urologist or a doctor who specializes in treating cancer oncologist.

We are conducting a research study about the support needed by people affected by cancer, including anyone with a current or past cancer diagnosis, and anyone caring for someone affected by cancer. This information will be used to plan CCNSW services and to campaign for broader health system changes to improve the quality of life of people affected by cancer. They will consider: your general health the type of testicular cancer you have the size of the tumour the number and size of any lymph nodes involved whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.

If testicular cancer does spread, it most commonly spreads to the lymph nodes in the pelvic and lower abdominal regions. Learn more about: Fertility concerns Making treatment decisions Surveillance Chemotherapy Radiation therapy Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection Fertility concerns Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and RPLND can cause temporary or permanent infertility.

Podcast: Making Treatment Decisions Listen now. Key resource Download a PDF booklet on this topic. This information was last reviewed in August See below. These cancers can be cured in nearly all patients. Surgery is done first to remove the testicle and spermatic cord called a radical inguinal orchiectomy. After surgery, there are often several treatment choices:.

Careful observation surveillance : If the cancer has not spread beyond the testicle, the plan most experts prefer is close monitoring for up to 10 years. This means getting physical exams and blood tests every 3 to 6 months for the first year, and less often after that.

Imaging tests CT scans and sometimes chest x-rays are done every 3 months for 6 months, and then once or twice a year. If these tests do not find any signs that cancer has spread beyond the testicle, no other treatment is needed. If the cancer has spread, treatments like radiation or chemo may be used. Radiation therapy: Radiation aimed at para-aortic lymph nodes is another option.

These nodes are in the back of the abdomen belly , around the large blood vessel called the aorta. Because seminoma cells are very sensitive to radiation, low doses can be used.

About 10 to 15 treatments are given over 2 to 3 weeks. Chemotherapy: An option that works as well as radiation is 1 or 2 cycles of chemo with the drug carboplatin after surgery. Many experts prefer chemo over radiation because it seems to be easier to tolerate.

In this stage, one or more tumor marker levels is still high after the testicle containing the seminoma has been removed. This is very rare, and it can be treated with chemo. Radiation: After surgery to remove the testicle radical inguinal orchiectomy , one treatment option is radiation to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. These are the lymph nodes at the back of the abdomen belly. Usually stage II seminomas are given higher doses of radiation than stage I seminomas. Chemotherapy: Another option is chemo, with either 4 cycles of EP etoposide and cisplatin or 3 cycles of BEP bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin.

The doctor will then watch closely every 3 to 6 months for any signs that the cancer has come back. These seminomas have spread to cause larger lymph nodes or have spread to many different lymph nodes.

Chemotherapy: This is typically the preferred treatment. It is usually either 4 cycles of EP etoposide and cisplatin or 3 cycles of BEP bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin. Radiation : This may be an option instead of chemo if the lymph nodes aren't enlarged from cancer spread. Treatment is typically chemotherapy with 4 cycles of EP etoposide and cisplatin or 3 or 4 cycles of BEP bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin. Another option might be VIP etoposide, ifosfamide, and cisplatin for 4 cycles.

Radiation therapy is generally not used for stage IIC seminoma. Nearly all of these cancers can be cured, but the treatment is different from that of seminomas.