The Best Treatment Options for Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer has a five-year survival rate of around 95%, which is one of the highest survival rates for any cancer type. Testicular cancer and other genitourinary cancers are treated on a case-by-case basis using advanced cancer therapies. 

Our team of leading oncologists at Arizona Center for Cancer Care considers how advanced your cancer is, if you have symptoms, and your personal preference when planning testicular cancer treatment. In addition to standard treatments, Arizona Center for Cancer Care conducts clinical trials to explore new and better ways to treat testicular and other cancers. 

Arizona Center for Cancer Care has offices in Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Anthem, Peoria, Fountain Hills, Wickenburg, Apache Junction, Sun City, Sun City West, Goodyear, and Tempe, Arizona.

Recognizing testicular cancer

Testicular cancer doesn’t always cause symptoms — at least not right away. When cancer starts in the testicles, it can cause: 

• A lump you can feel in your testicle
• An enlarged testicle
• A heavy feeling in your scrotum
• Aching in your belly or groin
• Breast tissue enlargement
• Pain in your back

If you experience any of these symptoms for longer than two weeks, call your doctor right away. 

You may be at a higher-than-average risk for testicular cancer if you have a family history of testicular cancer or if you have cryptorchidism, which means one of your testicles never descended into the scrotum. 

Main treatments for testicular cancer

Testicular cancer responds well to treatment even when it has spread beyond the original testicle. It usually affects just one testicle, not both. After diagnosing and staging your cancer, our team will discuss each of your treatment options along with their risks and benefits. 

They may recommend one or more of the following: 

Surgery

Surgery can treat testicular cancer by either removing the testicle or by removing nearby lymph nodes, where cancer is likely to spread.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy for testicular cancer uses potent medicines to target and kill cancer cells both inside and outside of the testicles. These medicines can cause side effects like fatigue, hearing loss, and loss of fertility, so be sure to discuss them in detail with your providers. 

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses highly focused beams of energy called photons to treat certain types of testicular cancers. Radiation side effects are specific to the area being treated.

Immunotherapy

Our team might recommend immunotherapy if your testicular cancer is advanced. Immunotherapy harnesses your immune system to target and fight cancer cells. 

The team lets you know if you’re a candidate for treatment in a clinical trial for testicular cancer. 

Call your nearest Arizona Center for Cancer Care office or schedule an appointment online to learn more about testicular cancer treatments today.