Testicular Cancer Chemotherapy

A common treatment option for testicular cancer, chemotherapy involves using anticancer drugs to kill the cancerous cells. In most cases of testicular cancer, chemotherapy is administered after surgery to destroy cancerous cells that may remain in the body. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, which means that drugs travel through the bloodstream and affect normal as well as cancerous cells throughout the body. The use of chemotherapy for testicular cancer treatment may cause side effects such as nausea, hair loss, fatigue, and diarrhea.

 

Testicular Cancer Chemotherapy: An Overview

Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells. When chemotherapy is administered to testicular cancer patients, it is usually given as adjuvant therapy (after testicular cancer surgery) to destroy cancerous cells that may remain in the body. Chemotherapy may also be used as initial treatment for testicular cancer if the cancer is in an advanced stage (meaning that it has spread outside the testicle at the time of the diagnosis). Most anticancer drugs are administered by injection into a vein.
 

Side Effects of Testicular Cancer Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, which means that drugs travel through the bloodstream and affect normal as well as cancerous cells throughout the body. Common side effects of testicular cancer chemotherapy include:
 
  • Nausea
  • Hair loss
  • Fatigue
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Coughing/shortness of breath
  • Mouth sores
  • Skin rash
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness
  • Loss of reflexes
  • Difficulty hearing.
     
Some anticancer drugs also interfere with sperm production, which may lead to a permanent reduction in sperm count. However, many patients will recover their fertility.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD