Testicular cancer is complex; there’s no routine way to treat it. Experts at the OSUCCC – James will work with you to create a personalized plan to meet your specific treatment needs.
Treatment options will vary and will be based on the type of testicular cancer you have and its stage. Testicular cancer has cure rates of more than 95%, but as with any medical procedure, there are some risks associated with each treatment type. This is why your OSUCCC – James specialist will work with you to determine the best treatment approach.
Testicular cancer treatment options
The OSUCCC – James is a leader in offering some of the world’s most advanced, sophisticated treatments for testicular cancer patients.
One or more of the following treatments may be recommended depending on your cancer type:
Surgery
If you’ve been diagnosed with testicular cancer, a surgeon may recommend one of these surgical treatment approaches:
Orchiectomy
Patients with testicular cancer often need lymph nodes in the abdomen removed as part of their overall management strategy. This is a complex surgery best performed in high-volume centers. At OSUCCC – James we have experts with extensive experience in performing this surgical procedure by the least invasive means possible.
The entire testicle is removed through an opening made in the groin and a tissue sample is sent to a pathologist for biopsy.
Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection
Testicular tumors must be removed to prevent cancer cells from spreading. Your urologic surgeon removes the tumor and surrounding cancer cells during the procedure, which is called an inguinal orchiectomy. This surgery is performed to diagnose and stage testicular cancer.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays or other radiation targeted directly at the testicular cancer cells to destroy cancer cells or keep them from growing.
You may receive radiation therapy before or after a surgery that removes a tumor. Radiation can shrink a testicular cancer tumor to make surgery more successful.
The OSUCCC – James radiation experts are leaders in innovative radiation treatments, and The James is one of the few hospitals in Ohio to offer radiation treatments in the prone position (the patient is lying down).
There are other leading-edge radiation treatments for testicular cancer patients at the OSUCCC – James, including imaging-based radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery and using a Varian TrueBeam Linear Accelerator.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs stop cancer cell growth by either destroying the cells or stopping them from dividing.
When chemotherapy is given before surgery, it can shrink a tumor. After surgery, it can lower risk that the testicular cancer will return. Chemotherapy drugs can be taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, and they may be given over a period of months. When the drugs enter the bloodstream, they can reach cancer cells throughout the body (called systemic chemotherapy).
Combination chemotherapy uses more than one anti-cancer drug.
Chemotherapy treatment usually takes place in an outpatient part of the hospital, at your doctor‘s office or in your home. Some people may need to stay in the hospital for treatment.
Chemotherapy with stem cell transplantation
Stem cell transplants enable patients to receive chemotherapy treatment, and then later, replace blood-forming cells that have been destroyed by cancer treatment.
Stem cells, which are immature blood cells, are removed from the blood or bone marrow of either the patient or a donor, and then they are frozen and stored. After chemotherapy is completed, the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion.
These reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body‘s blood cells. If a stem cell transplant is needed, the OSUCCC – James has one of the most active, sophisticated programs in the nation for testicular cancer.
Testicular cancer clinical trials
At the OSUCCC – James, our researchers are paving the way for advancements on testicular cancer research and treatment options. This includes clinical trials.
For cancer patients, clinical trials mean hope. You can enter clinical trials before, during or after starting your cancer treatment.
Who should participate in a clinical trial for testicular cancer?
For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice.
The OSUCCC – James is one of only a few institutions funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to conduct phase 1 and 2 clinical trials on NCI–sponsored anticancer drugs. This gives you access to some of the latest investigative treatments for testicular cancer
If you’ve been diagnosed with testicular cancer, would like a second opinion or would like to speak with a testicular cancer specialist, please call The James Line at 800-293-5066 or 614-293-5066 to make an appointment.
Related resources
Testicular Cancer Prevention
Testicular Cancer Symptoms and Causes
Testicular Cancer Screening and Diagnosis
Testicular Cancer Treatment Team