Modern testicular cancer treatments have become more refined, less invasive and to a degree, more effective at treatment. Note that 95 percent of testicular cancer cases carry a five-year survival rate and the five-year survival rate of cancer diagnosed in the earliest stages is 99 percent. Testicular cancer is one of the more treatable cancers.
Treating testicular cancer isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all affair. You may need multiple treatment modalities or just one. Your urologist will advise you on which of these is most appropriate for treating your testicular cancer.
If you’ve reached the stage in your recovery journey where you’re ready for chemo or radiation, you’ve probably already researched testicular cancer treatments online with queries like “radiation therapy for testicular cancer near me” or “testicular cancer chemotherapy near me.” If so, Advanced Urology is here for you.
Knowing whether surgery is the right option for you depends on numerous factors. Some of which include the classification and stage of your cancer:
Stage of Cancer
Cancer stage plays an important in the treatment option you choose. Before understanding whether surgery is the right option for you, you should be aware of the stage of cancer that you’re suffering from. Patients suffering from Stage 0 germ cell tumors, Stage 1 germ cell tumors or Stage 2 germ cell tumors can benefit from surgery eventually followed by radiation.
Type of Cancer
In addition to the testicular cancer stages, the type of cancer you are suffering from also plays an important role in influencing the treatment option you choose. These are two types of testicular cancer:
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Treating testicular cancer surgically could require an orchiectomy to remove the testicle affected by the tumor. After surgery, you may only need surveillance, or you may require further treatment based on the results for the factors mentioned above.
Some of the most effective surgical treatments for testicular cancer include the following options:
Radical Inguinal Orchiectomy
This type of surgery removes the patient’s testicle or testicles hosting the cancerous cells. A cut is made above the pubic area and the testicle, or testicles, is/are gently removed from within the scrotum. The surgeon takes special care during the whole procedure to not spread the cancerous cells across the blood stream. Almost all forms of testicular cancer are initially treated through this method. Even cancers where the cells have spread are combated through radical inguinal orchiectomy.
Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection
Based on the stage and type of testicle cancer, the lymph nodes situated at the back of your abdomen may also be taken out during a second surgery. Not everyone suffering from testicular cancer will have these lymph nodes removed, so discuss this surgery in detail with your doctor in Atlanta beforehand. This surgery is more intricate than the orchiectomy since the doctors make a larger incision in the center of the abdomen to remove the lymph nodes.
