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Testicular cancer: 95% chance of recovery, on one condition

Credits: Derneuemann - Pixabay
Testicular cancer: 95% chance of recovery, on one condition
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Twenty years ago, testicular cancer was still claiming many lives. Nowadays, the treatment for this cancer is effective in over 95% of cases, on one condition: that it is detected early enough. So what are the symptoms? 

Testicular cancer: what are the symptoms?

Nowadays, testicular cancer is well managed with treatment rates reaching almost 100% success in the majority of cases. It just needs to be detected early, meaning as soon as the very first symptoms appear:

  • pain, swelling or irritation around the testicle(s) -although these symptoms could also have other causes
  • a palpable mass on the testicle, that is hard to the touch and often painless
  • sensation of heaviness in the testicles, with or without pain and swelling
  • more rarely, rapid development of breasts (gynaecomastia)

If you notice any of these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately in order to organise for testing.

Testicular cancer: how is it treated?

The first step in eradicating cancer consists of the removal of the affected testicle, called an “orchiectomy”. This is completed under general anaesthetic. An incision is made in the crease of the groin to remove the testicle and the cancerous cells.

If the patient so wishes, the removed testicle can be replaced by a prosthesis. Removing one testicle does not stop you from having children. If both testicles are affected, the doctor may suggest conserving the patient’s sperm before starting radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In any case, less than 2% of cases of cancer affect both testicles.

The procedure involves a 2 day hospital stay and one week’s recovery time. Following testing, the oncologist will know if only the testicle has been affected, in which case the surgery may be enough. However, if they suspect that the cancer has spread and reached the lymph glands, further treatments will be recommended.

Depending on how advanced the stage of the cancer is, the specialist will recommend different treatments:

  • radiotherapy
  • chemotherapy
  • cistaplin (a chemotherapy medication)

There is over a 90% chance of recovery from this type of cancer if the patient takes care of it early enough. There is only a 2 to 5% chance of recurrence in the 25 years following successful treatment. In all cases, the patient should have regular medical follow up in the 5 to 10 years after treatment, getting regular testing (abdominal and thoracic CT scans, lung x-rays, blood tests for indicators of tumours, etc.).

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