Depending on the type and stage of the testicular cancer, different treatment strategies are available. Treatment initially usually includes testicle removal (orchiectomy) along with associated lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy), followed by chemotherapy or/and radiation. Common drugs used to treat testicular cancer include Ifex (Ifosamide) , Vepesid (etoposide), Velban (vinblastine sulfate), Blenoxane (bleomycin sulfate) and Platinol (cisplatin).

SIDE EFFECTS

Contrary to what many men feel, removal of the testicle will not make men sterile or impotent.  An artificial testicle (prosthesis), weighing and feeling like a normal testicle, can be placed inside the scrotum.  Radiation therapy may in certain cases interfere with sperm production, which is why many men store sperm in a frozen “bank” before treatment as a precaution. Chemotherapy may cause increased risk of infection, nausea or vomiting, and hair loss.  Not all patients experience these symptoms, however.