What Are the Stages of Testicular Cancer?
Stage 1: Cancer is found only in the testicle (testis).
Stage 2: Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the abdomen.
Stage 3: Cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes in the abdomen. There may be cancer in parts of the body far away from the testicles, such as the lungs and liver.
How Are Testicular Tumors Treated?
Subsequent treatment will depend on the tumor, since testicular cancers are categorized by their cell type, which determines both how they behave biologically and respond therapeutically.
The most common cell type is seminoma, a tumor responsive to both radiation and chemotherapy. Radiation is commonly utilized for treating low stage seminomas.
All other cell types are called non-seminomatous tumors. Treatment options for non-seminomatous tumors include observation, surgery or chemotherapy, depending on the cell type and extent of spread.
A Georgia urologist will use a variety of imaging tools, such as chest X-rays and CT scans, along with blood tumor markers to “stage” or assess the cancer for treatment.
With more advanced testis cancer or in more aggressive tumors, surgical removal of lymph nodes in the abdomen may be required to check just how far the cancer has spread.
Chemotherapy may be the primary treatment for more advanced disease. Very often, the urological oncologist will prescribe a drug “cocktail” or a combination of two or three agents. Sometimes, surgical removal of residual tumors may be required after completion of chemotherapy.
What Can Be Expected After Treatment for Testicular Tumors?
Removal of one testicle should not impair a patient’s sexual potency or, in general, their fertility. They may experience a brief decrease in sperm production, but the remaining gland should produce adequate amounts of testosterone.
After surgery to remove the lymph nodes, some patients’ ability to ejaculate may be impaired, although this problem is uncommon with today’s nerve-sparing techniques. Also, there are some medications available to help reverse ejaculation problems. In most cases, a normal erection is possible after the surgery.
However, because ejaculation can be impaired with surgery and because chemotherapy can lower sperm counts (usually only temporarily), you may wish to use a sperm bank prior to treatments. Once you have had a testicular tumor, you can expect to be followed for at least five years with periodic X-rays, CT scans and blood tests for tumor markers. Also, since you are at increased risk (approximately two percent) of developing a second tumor, it is important that you continue monthly testicular self-exams (TSE). A TSE is best done after a warm bath or shower when the skin of the scrotum is relaxed.
