Surgery for testicular cancer
Surgery to take out the testicle is often the first treatment for testicular cancer. It’s used even when the cancer has spread. Nearby lymph nodes may also be taken out to see if there are cancer cells in them. There are many ways to do this surgery. Talk to your doctor about what will be done and what you can expect
Side effects of surgery
Any type of surgery can have risks and side effects. Be sure to ask the doctor what you can expect. If you have problems, let your doctors know. Doctors who treat testicular cancer should be able to help you with any problems that come up.
Chemo
Chemo is the short word for chemotherapy – the use of drugs to fight cancer. The drugs are given into a vein. These drugs go into your blood and spread through your body. They kill cells that are fast growing, cancer cells and good cells, like blood cells and hair. Chemo is given in cycles or rounds. Each round of treatment is followed by a break. Chemo cycles last about 3 to 4 weeks. Using 2 or more chemo drugs together often works better than using one drug alone. Treatment lasts for many months.
Side effects of chemo
Chemo can make you feel very tired, sick to your stomach, and cause your hair to fall out. But these problems go away after treatment ends.
There are ways to treat most chemo side effects. If you have side effects, be sure to talk to your cancer care team so they can help.
Radiation treatments
Radiation uses high-energy rays (like x-rays) to kill cancer cells. In testicular cancer, radiation is mainly used to kill cancer cells that have spread to lymph nodes. It can also be used to treat cancer that has spread to the brain or spinal cord.
For testicular cancer, a machine aims a beam of radiation at the testicle. This is called external beam radiation. A cover is put over the healthy testicle to help keep the radiation from harming it.
Side effects of radiation treatments
If your doctor suggests radiation treatment, talk about what side effects might happen. The most common side effects of radiation are:
Skin changes where the radiation is given
Feeling very tired (fatigue)
Most side effects get better after treatment ends. Some might last longer. Talk to your cancer care team about what you can expect.
High dose chemo and stem cell transplant
A stem cell transplant lets doctors use higher doses of chemo. In this treatment, a special machine takes the cells that make blood (called stem cells) out of the blood. Then very strong chemo is given. The stem cells are given back to the person after chemo. This is called a transplant, but it’s not surgery – the cells are put back into the blood through a vein.
Transplant is mostly used for testicular cancer that has come back (recurred) after regular chemo. It’s a very complex treatment with a lot of side effects. Ask your doctor if you will get this treatment and what to expect.
Clinical trials
Clinical trials are research studies that test new drugs or other treatments in people. They compare standard treatments with others that may be better.
If you'd like to learn more about clinical trials for you, start by asking your doctor if your clinic or hospital conducts clinical trials. See Clinical Trials to learn more.
Clinical trials are one way to get the newest cancer treatment. They're the best way for doctors to find better ways to treat cancer. If your doctor can find one that’s studying the kind of cancer you have, it’s up to you whether to take part. And if you do sign up for a clinical trial, you can always stop at any time.
What about other treatments I hear about?
When you have cancer you might hear about other ways to treat the cancer or treat your symptoms. These may not always be standard medical treatments. These treatments may be vitamins, herbs, special diets, and other things. You may wonder about these treatments.
Some of these are known to help, but many have not been tested. Some have been shown not to help. A few have even been found to be harmful. Talk to your doctor about anything you’re thinking about using, whether it’s a vitamin, a diet, or anything else.
You’ll be glad when treatment is over. But it’s hard not to worry about cancer coming back. Even when cancer never comes back, people still worry about it. You'll see your cancer doctor for many years after treatment ends. Be sure to go to all of these follow-up visits. You will have exams, blood tests, and maybe other tests to see if the cancer has come back.
At first, your visits may be every 2 to 6 months. Then, the longer you’re cancer-free, the less often the visits are needed. After 5 years, they may be done once or twice a year.
