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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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Santa Barbara Independent

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