Testicular Cancer Treatment

We also have an experienced genitourinary oncology team that will come together to tailor the most powerful treatment plan for your cancer while minimizing side effects. Testicular cancer tends to be fast-growing, and it’s imperative you be treated at a center with the knowledge and experience to treat your disease right the first time.

Because every case of testicular cancer is different, there is no single testicular cancer treatment protocol that works for everyone. The genitourinary cancer experts at Winship use the latest technology and advanced testing to analyze your particular cancer from every angle. Your team of physicians — including your surgeon, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist and more — will meet to determine the best course of action for your cancer. This enables your care team to develop a plan to treat your cancer as aggressively as possible, all while minimizing side effects.

At Winship, we offer the most comprehensive array of testicular cancer treatment options in Georgia and the expertise to treat your disease. Based on your unique cancer, your treatment plan may include:

Surgery

Nearly all patients with testicular cancer will have surgery to remove the affected testicle. Given the anatomy of the genitalia and how densely packed it is with nerves, surgical expertise is imperative to maintaining sexual function. Winship is home to some of the most highly skilled genitourinary surgical oncologists in the country who can perform testicular cancer surgeries other centers can’t.

Chemotherapy

This treatment involves the use of medication taken orally or injected to attack cancer cells throughout the body. It may be prescribed as part of a testicular cancer treatment plan following surgery to reduce a patient’s risk of recurrence. But chemotherapy isn’t always necessary. It takes an experienced oncologist to determine when chemotherapy should be used. The Winship genitourinary oncology team is highly skilled in the use of chemotherapy to treat testicular cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy, the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells, may or may not be included in your testicular cancer treatment plan. If it is, it should be performed by an experienced radiation oncologist, given the delicate tissue and myriad nerves in the genitals. Winship’s genitourinary cancer team includes radiation oncologists who specialize in testicular cancer treatment.

Stem Cell Transplantation

This type of immunotherapy is an investigational testicular cancer treatment used together with high-dose chemotherapy to treat recurrent or chemo-resistant testicular cancer. This treatment consists of destroying cancer cells using higher doses of chemotherapy and then replacing lost bone marrow cells with healthy stem cells to help patients build a new and healthy immune system. Winship’s Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center has pioneered many advances in stem cell transplant procedures and drugs.

As Georgia’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Winship researchers are pioneers in testicular cancer treatment, leading clinical trials to study and develop new treatment options each year. In fact, many of the drugs used to treat cancer today came out of clinical trials performed at Winship, which means our patients were some of the first to benefit. In other words, we can offer you access to the latest testicular cancer treatment you may not find at other cancer centers. We make every effort to match as many patients as possible to ongoing research.

We understand a diagnosis of testicular cancer is especially difficult for men who wish to have children. If fertility is a concern of yours, we’ll work closely with the reproductive endocrinologists at Emory Reproductive Center on fertility preservation without delaying your cancer treatment.

At Winship, we strive to deliver the most effective treatment while also minimizing side effects. But coping with testicular cancer and the side effects of testicular cancer treatment can be difficult. That’s why we have a supportive oncology team of specialized doctors and nurses on staff to help you with the physical, psychological and emotional aspects of living with cancer, including symptom management and counseling. This team — with the help of counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals — will be with you every step of the way, supporting you along your experience.