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Treatments For Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer in men between the
ages of 15 and 34 years of age. Due to remarkable advances in
treatment options, this form of cancer is one of the most curable, if
detected early enough. There are already many effective
treatments for testicular tumors and cancer for men who have been
diagnosed, and the prognosis can be very good.
The course of treatment for men with testicular cancer will be
determined by the stage of the cancer and the classification.
Classifications are made between ìseminomasî and
ìnonseminomasî. Seminomas
account for 30-40% of the tumors and are found usually in men in their
thirties and forties.
Normally, the condition is localized in the testes, although in about
25% of cases it may already have spread to the lymph nodes.
Nonseminomas account for the other 60% of testicular tumors, and can be
further divided into subcategories, with these tumors usually having
more than one of the following types of cells: Embryonal
carcinoma, which happens in about 20% of cases, usually in men aged
20-30, and is highly malignant. It can grow very rapidly, and
spread to the lungs and liver. The other subcategories
include yolk sac tumors, teratomata, and choriocarcinoma.
Treatment will depend on the classification, but generally the
treatment options include one or more of the following:
- Surgery
- As the first part of treatment, most patients will undergo removal of
the affected testicle, which is called an orchiectomy. A
second surgery, called a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND)
may also be performed, again depending on the classification of the
tumor. This will remove any lymph nodes that the cancer may
have spread to, and is usually performed in the case of nonseminomas
tumors.
- Radiation
Therapy - As in the case with surgery, the choice of
having radiation treatment will depend on the stage and class of the
tumor. Radiation will often be used as preventative therapy
after surgery in certain instances, to ensure that there are not any
small, non-detectable tumors remaining which could possibly spread.
- Chemotherapy
- Similarly, chemotherapy may be given to patients after surgery
depending on the type of cancer that is present. It is often
referred to as adjuvant chemotherapy, which means it is given to
patients after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells in the
body. The regime will vary, depending on many factors,
including the stage of the disease, and the general health of the
patient. Some of the most common chemotherapy medications
used are cisplatin, bleomycin, etoposide, and ifosfamide.
Treatments for testicular tumors and cancer have made tremendous
advances, and are now offering a 90 percent cure rate for men who are
diagnosed and treated early. It is important to notice the
signs of the disease, and not delay treatment to ensure a good
prognosis.
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