Medical statistics have shown an increase in the number of testicular cancers reported but the good news is most of them (up to 95%) can be cured. The key to having the odds on your...

Medical statistics have shown an increase in the number of testicular cancers reported but the good news is most of them (up to 95%) can be cured. The key to having the odds on your side lies in finding the cancer in its early stages before it can spread to other areas of the body. Also, catching this cancer early means less intensive treatment is necessary, meaning fewer complications and side effects.

There are three basic types of therapy that have “cured” testicular cancer – chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. There are side effects to each method and it should be noted that they are not a one size fits all kind of deal. What may work great for one man may be unsuccessful or not possible for another.

Several types of testicular cancer exist and can stem from nonseminomas and seminomas which are derived from germ cells that would normally produce sperm. Each kind has its own character traits and behaves different with various kinds of therapy. For instance, testicular cancer stemming from seminomas is more susceptible to radiation therapy but are typically contained within the testicle while nonseminomas can grow quickly and spread throughout the body.

Treatment for your testicular cancer depends on several factors too. The stage the cancer was discovered is important as is the age of the patient. If you still want to father children that is taken into consideration. Overall health and lifestyle is another factor that influences the type of cancer therapy treatment chosen.

Surgery Options

There is a procedure called a radical inguinal orchiectomy which involves the removal of a testicle through a small incision in the groin area. With surgical removal, you might be concerned about how it might impact your sex life and fertility. The good news is men can still have an active, normal sex life with just one healthy testicle and because it will still be producing sperm, fatherhood is still a viable option. As far as looks are concerned, if you feel self conscious about missing a testicle, there are testicular implants available that would look almost identical to the remaining one.

Radiation

Radiotherapy aka radiation employs special rays with high energy which are directed at the tumors and cancerous cells to kill them. This is a localized procedure meaning that other areas of the body are not affected. Those cancerous cells and perhaps a very small amount of healthy tissue surrounding them would be affected by radiation. The dose of the radiation is what typically dictates the severity of side effects. In addition, fertility is affected although many men report within a few years, their sperm count and production is back to normal.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy employs taking a cocktail of drugs either in pill form or intravenous fluids to kills cancerous cells. Typically, chemotherapy is given to testicular cancer patients after a surgery to help capture those few remaining cancerous cells that surgery did not get. However, if the cancer is caught late, chemotherapy may be the first line of defense to try and shrink or even kill the tumors or cancerous cells.

This type of therapy has quite a few potential side effects including the ability to inhibit sperm production. For some men, infertility is permanent while for others, it is temporary. Each side effect can be treated through outside methods including over the counter medications, although you should always consult with the doctor first.

Each testicular cancer case is different. Therefore, it is important for you to communicate effectively with your doctor; ask questions and arm yourself with as much information as possible. Only then will you have enough data to make an educated decision on your testicular cancer treatment.

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