How is testicular cancer treated?
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The first step in treating testicular cancer is to remove the affected testicle (radical orchiectomy). If the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, you may need no further treatment. Cancer that has moved to other areas of your body may be treated in two ways, depending on the type of cancer that you have. Seminomas are most often treated with radiation therapy, in which X-rays are blasted at specific areas of the body to kill cancer cells there. Radiation therapy can cause infertility, although your fertility may return with time. Both seminoma and nonseminoma cancers can be treated with chemotherapy drugs, which roam your body killing cancer cells that have spread from the site of your tumor. These drugs may have disruptive side effects, such as hair loss, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, although additional medication is available counteract these side effects.The first step in treating testicular cancer is to remove the affected testicle (radical orchiectomy). If the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, you may need no further treatment. Cancer that has moved to other areas of your body... More
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Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:If one suspects cancer of the testicle, is best to treat it initially by removing the testicle through an incision in the groin. At this point, the testicle and its blood supply are removed as close to the abdomen as possible. Once the tumor is removed, any elevated tumor markers should return to the normal range. If they do not normalize, cancer is likely still present.
Depending upon the examination, tumor markers, results radiographic studies and type of tumor present on microscopic evaluation, a variety of different treatment options may be recommended.
In patients with early stage testicular cancer, removing the testicle and radiation to the back may be the first line of treatment. With other types of tumors, initial chemotherapy or surgery to remove the lymph nodes in the back may be recommended. Sometimes, a surveillance strategy is recommended after testis removal.
Traditionally, surgery has involved a large open incision to remove the lymph nodes in the back, and has often been associated with prolonged recovery and discomfort. Recently, several centers have developed techniques to remove lymph nodes laparoscopically through several small holes in the abdomen. This technique - called laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) - provides a less morbid way to remove retroperitoneal lymph nodes in patients with testicular cancer.
If one suspects cancer of the testicle, is best to treat it initially by removing the testicle through an incision in the groin. At this point, the testicle and its blood supply are removed as close to the abdomen as possible. Once the tumor is... More
