Carenotes > Testicular Cancer (Discharge Care)

Testicular Cancer

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Testicular (tes-TIK-u-lar) cancer is cancer of the testicles (TES-ti-kls), or testes (TES-tis). The testicles are the egg-shaped glands inside the scrotum (sack of skin hanging behind the penis). Testicles make sperm and hormones. Hormones are special chemicals that control how different parts of your body work. Hormones cause a man's sexual organs to develop. They give a man his body and facial hair, low voice, and broad shoulders. Testicular cancer is most commonly found in men aged 15 to 39 years. It can also happen to men at any age. The chances for curing this cancer are very good if it is found and treated early.
  
  
• There are many different ways to treat testicular cancer. Most people have surgery to remove the testicle that has cancer. You may need more surgery if your cancer has spread. You may also need radiation or chemotherapy (cancer medicine) treatments. Often two or more kinds of treatment will be used together. Some of your care may be given in a clinic, doctor's office, or hospital.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Always take your medicine as directed by your caregiver. If you think it is not helping or if you feel you are having side effects, call your caregiver. Do not quit taking it until you discuss it with your caregiver.
  
  
• If you are taking antibiotics (an-ti-bi-OT-iks), take them until they are all gone even if you feel better.
  
  
• Keep a written list of what medicines you are taking and when and why you take them. Bring the list of your medicines or the pill bottles when you see your caregivers. Ask your caregiver for information about your medicines.
  
  
• If you are taking medicine that makes you drowsy, do not drive or use heavy equipment.
  
  
• If you are getting chemotherapy, it is important to take your medicine exactly as you are told.
  
  
• Treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation, may change if the cancer is not being controlled. This is often decided after you have tests. You may have some of the treatments alone or with other types of treatment.
  
  
• If you are taking pain medicine, especially as a shot or IV, your family should learn how to give it. Ask your caregiver to show you how to do this. Take enough medicine to stay comfortable. Talk to your caregiver if you are worried about becoming addicted to these pain medicines.

When is my next medical appointment?

Ask your caregiver when to return for a follow-up visit. Keep all appointments. Write down any questions you may have. This way you will remember to ask these questions during your next visit.

Do not miss your medical appointments. Testicular cancer is most likely to recur (come back) in the first two to five years after treatment. However, it may recur at any time. Come to all your appointments so that your caregiver can make sure you are cancer-free.

How should I take care of myself at home?

• You may feel like resting more. Match your activity to the amount of energy you have. Nap a couple of times during the day. Going to bed early and getting up late may also help.
  
  
• Talk to your caregiver about when you can go back to work or school. This may depend on the stage of your cancer and the treatments you will need.
  
  
• Diet: It is important that you get good nutrition when you have cancer. Eat a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups. The food groups include breads, vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products, and protein (beans, eggs, poultry, meat and fish). Eating healthy foods may help you feel better and have more energy. You may need to make diet changes depending on your tolerance, the location of your cancer, or treatment side effects. For example, if you have trouble swallowing, try eating foods that are soft or in liquid form. Ask your caregiver if you should add special drinks or vitamins to your diet. Tell your caregiver if you are nauseated, vomiting, or have other problems eating or digesting your food.
  
  
• Drinking liquids: Men 19 years old and older should drink about 3.0 Liters of liquid each day (close to 13 eight-ounce cups). Women 19 years old and older should drink about 2.2 Liters of liquid each day (close to 9 eight-ounce cups). It is especially important to drink enough liquids if you are vomiting. Ask your caregiver how much liquid you should drink each day. For most people, healthy liquids to drink are water, juices, and milk. If you are used to drinking liquids that contain caffeine, such as coffee, these can be counted in your daily liquid amount.
  
  
• Exercise: Talk to your caregiver before you start exercising. Together you can plan the best exercise program for you. It is best to start slowly and do more as you get stronger. Exercising makes the heart stronger, lowers blood pressure, and keeps you healthy.
  
  
• Stress: Stress may slow healing and cause illness later. Since it is hard to avoid stress, learn to control it. Learn new ways to relax, such as deep breathing, meditation, relaxing muscles, music, or biofeedback. Talk to someone about things that upset you.

How will testicular cancer affect my sex life? Men often worry that having one testicle removed will make them impotent (unable to have sexual intercourse). They may also worry that they will be sterile or infertile (unable to make babies). A man with one normal healthy testicle can still have sex and make sperm. However, surgeries and treatments such as radiation and chemo can affect these abilities. Ask your caregiver how your sexual ability may be affected before you have any surgery or treatment. Some men have their sperm removed and frozen so that they can make a woman pregnant later. An artificial testicle called a prosthesis (pros-THEE-sis) can be put in your scrotum after the cancer is treated.

How should I do a testicular self-examination?

• Checking your testicles for lumps and other changes is called a testicular self-examination (TSE). Doing regular TSE can help you learn how your testicles normally look and feel. Then if you have lumps or changes, you may find them and tell your caregiver right away. Talk to your caregiver and decide when and how often you should do TSE. Ask your caregiver to teach you how to do a TSE if you are not sure that you are doing it correctly.
  
  
• TSE can be done whether you have one or two testicles. You may start checking your testicles regularly after you have gone through puberty. Puberty is the change that a boy goes through to become a man. During this time, a man gets broad shoulders, a low voice, and body and facial hair. An easy way to remember to do TSE is to do the exam on the same day of each month.
  
  
  • The best time to do a TSE is after a warm shower or bath. This is the time when your scrotum is most relaxed.
    
    
  • Look: Stand in front of a mirror and look at your scrotum. Look for changes in its shape, size, and color. It may be normal for one side of your scrotum to be larger or to hang lower than the other.
    
    
  • Feel: Examine one testicle at a time. Put the thumbs of both hands in front of the testicle. Put the second (pointer) fingers behind the testicle. Gently roll each testicle between the thumbs and fingers of both hands. Feel for any lumps or changes in the testicle. Feel all parts of the scrotum and testicle. It may be normal for one of your testicles to feel slightly larger than the other.
    
    
  • Using your fingers, try to find the epididymis (ep-i-DID-i-mis). This is a long, cord-like tube on top and in back of each testicle. The epididymis holds and carries sperm from the testicle to the end of the penis. It is important that you know what the epididymis feels like. This way you will know what is normal and what is not.

How can I get more information about testicular cancer? Accepting that you have testicular cancer is hard. You and those close to you may feel scared, depressed, angry, or sad. These are normal feelings. Talk to your caregivers, family, or friends about your feelings. You may also want to join a cancer support group. This is a group of people who also have cancer. Contact the following organizations for more information about testicular cancer and support groups:

• American Cancer Society
  Phone: 1-800-227-2345
  Web Address: http://www.cancer.org
  

• National Cancer Institute
  Phone: 1-800-422-6237
  Web Address: http://www.cancer.gov
  

• The Testicular Cancer Resource Center
  Web Address: http://tcrc.acor.org
  

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have a fever (increased body temperature).
  
  
• You are vomiting (throwing up) and cannot keep any food or liquids down.
  
  
• You cannot make it to your radiation therapy visit.
  
  
• You feel lumps or other changes in your testicle.
  
  
• You are so depressed you feel you cannot cope with your illness.
  
  
• You have pain that does not decrease or go away after taking your pain medicine.
  
  
• You have questions or concerns about your cancer or care.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• You have chest pain.
  
  
• You have trouble breathing.
  
  
• You cannot think clearly.
  
  
• One of your legs swells up and hurts.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

Link to Page

Print Page

Email Page