Learn About The Treatment Options For Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer is one of those conditions that is, by its very nature, often made harder to treat by later diagnosis. The general reluctance of men to seek medical advice is well documented. However, it is a form of cancer that is nearly always treated successfully, leaving the patient surviving and cancer-free.
Every so often, the disease will make the news because of a high-profile case, the latest being in the US, where NBA basketball star Nikola Topic has revealed he has been diagnosed and is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
We can offer private chemotherapy for testicular cancer as well as other treatment options. A range of different means of tackling the disease exists and, as with other cancers, a range of factors can help to determine the best approach.
These include age, general health, how advanced the cancer is and whether it has metastasised (spread elsewhere in the body as secondary cancer). Often, the best approach will involve a combination of treatments.
Facts About Testicular Cancer
Unusually, testicular cancer is a disease predominantly affecting younger men, with around half of cases aged under 35. It is the most common cancer in men aged between 15 and 44, although it is rare in puberty. In contrast to prostate cancer, which is more likely to affect black and Asian men, white men are at the greatest risk from testicular cancer.
The likelihood that this occurs in someone who is younger and fitter does mean there will be greater resilience in dealing with more aggressive treatments, although chemotherapy and radiotherapy side-effects will impact patients of any age.
Surgery to remove the affected testicle is used in most cases. If this occurs early enough, it may be enough in itself to get rid of the cancer entirely. The good news for men hoping to start a family or add to any children they already have is that one remaining testicle can still produce enough sperm to maintain fertility.
Like most cancers, the means by which testicular cancer can spread is through the lymph nodes, which can subsequently affect a wider area and ultimately lead to cancer in very different parts of the body.
When Chemotherapy Or Radiotherapy May Be Used
In many instances, the best approach is for chemotherapy or radiotherapy to be used to tackle any cancerous cells remaining after the surgery. This can help prevent metastasis. Sometimes, further surgery can also be used to remove any remaining cells.
Chemotherapy is designed to target cancer cells and that can be highly effective in tackling primary testicular cancer.
Chemotherapy Drugs Used For Prostate Cancer
Various chemotherapy drugs exist for testicular cancer treatment, including bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. These can be given in combination, known as BEP therapy. Another common drug is carboplatin.
Each of these drugs contains chemicals that are toxic to cancer cells and can kill them. While radiotherapy will work specifically on the areas where the radiation is directed to kill cells in the localised area, chemotherapy has the advantage of mobility, as the chemicals will enter the bloodstream and can destroy cells that are travelling around the body.
This means chemotherapy can be particularly effective in preventing metastasis. Other uses include adjuvant chemotherapy, which is given after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. This is when carboplatin is most likely to be used.
Alternatively, chemotherapy can be given in the case of a recurrence after the first course of chemotherapy treatment. If this is the case, or secondary cancer has developed, the dose is likely to be higher and the treatment more intense.
As can be deduced from the above, there are various scenarios that prostate cancer patients may find themselves in, chiefly relating to the stage the disease is at when any course of treatment occurs.
In the ideal scenario, the chemotherapy or radiotherapy after surgery will be enough to leave the patient cancer-free. However, when this is not the case, either due to a recurrence or the emergence of secondary cancer, there are further chemotherapy options.
Radiotherapy For Prostate Cancer
When radiotherapy is used on testicular cancer, it comes in the form of external beam radiotherapy, which will direct the radiation at the scrotum and the affected area.
The side-effects of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be significant, which can include a loss of appetite, tummy trouble, sore skin and hair loss. However, after treatment, these symptoms will ease off, a prime example being when lost hair grows back. Where fertility is placed at risk, sperm samples can be taken and frozen beforehand.
We specialise in providing personalised treatment for every patient. While testicular cancer is eminently treatable, there are still various paths that the road back to health can take, some longer than others. What we will do is ensure that whatever is most appropriate for you will be available to ensure the best possible outcome.
Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments for prostate cancer on the Amethyst Group website.
