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.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. Learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. Discuss treatment options with your caregivers to decide what care you want to receive. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

• Your medicine or radiation treatment may cause unpleasant side effects. Some types of treatment can cause you to be infertile. This means you may not be able to make someone pregnant. There are also risks if you must have surgery. Even if you are treated, your cancer may come back or spread.
  
  
• If you have surgery, you may get a blood clot. This can cause pain and swelling, and it can stop blood from flowing where it needs to go in your body. The blood clot can break loose and travel to your lungs or brain. A blood clot in your lungs can cause chest pain and trouble breathing. A blood clot in your brain can cause a stroke. These problems can be life-threatening.
  
  
• If the cancer is not treated, it may spread and you could die. Call your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your cancer, treatment, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

You may be admitted to the hospital for tests, surgery, or treatments. Tests or surgery can help caregivers know what size and type of cancer you have. They can help your caregivers know what "stage" of testicular cancer you have. You may have stage one, two, or three testicular cancer. These stages describe whether the cancer has stayed in the testicle or if it has spread.

• Informed consent: A consent form is a legal document that explains the tests, treatments, or procedures that you may need. Informed consent means you understand what will be done and can make decisions about what you want. You give your permission when you sign the consent form. You can have someone sign this form for you if you are not able to sign it. You have the right to understand your medical care in words you know. Before you sign the consent form, understand the risks and benefits of what will be done. Make sure all your questions are answered.
  
  
• Activity:
  
  
  • You may need to rest in bed. You may be allowed out of bed once you are feeling better. If you are not allowed out of bed, you can still exercise your legs in bed. Do this by lifting one leg off the bed and drawing big circles with your toes. Then do it with the other leg. Another good exercise is to lie on your side and pretend to pedal a bike. This makes your legs stronger and may help stop blood clots from forming. Stop pedaling if you become tired.
    
    
  • Your caregiver will tell you when it is OK to get out of bed. Call your caregiver before getting up for the first time. If you ever feel weak or dizzy, sit or lie down right away. Then call your caregiver.
  
  
• Call button: You may use the call button when you need your caregiver. Pain, trouble breathing, or wanting to get out of bed are good reasons to call. The call button should always be close enough for you to reach it.
  
  
• Eating well with cancer and cancer treatment: Good nutrition can:
  
  
  • help you feel better during treatment and decrease treatment side effects
    
    
  • decrease your risk of infection
    
    
  • help you have more energy and feel stronger
    
    
  • help you maintain a healthy weight and heal faster
  Eat a variety of healthy foods to get the protein, carbohydrates, and other nutrients that your body needs. You may need to change the foods you eat depending on your treatments and side effects. You also may need to eat more calories than usual. Work with a dietitian to plan the best meals and snacks for you. Ask if you should add vitamins to your diet.
  
• Drinking liquids: Men 19 years old and older should drink about three Liters of liquid each day (about 13 eight-ounce cups). Women 19 years old and older should drink about two Liters of liquid each day (about 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.
  
  
• IV: An IV (intravenous) is a small tube placed in your vein that is used to give you medicine or liquids.
  
  
• Medicines:
  
  
  • Antinausea medicine: This medicine may be given to calm your stomach and prevent vomiting.
    
    
  • Pain medicine: Caregivers may give you medicine to take away or decrease your pain.
    
    
    • Do not wait until the pain is severe to ask for your medicine. Tell caregivers if your pain does not decrease. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it.
      
      
    • Pain medicine can make you dizzy or sleepy. Prevent falls by calling a caregiver when you want to get out of bed or if you need help.
  
  
• Oxygen: You may need extra oxygen if your blood oxygen level is lower than it should be. You may get oxygen through a mask placed over your nose and mouth or through small tubes placed in your nostrils. Ask your caregiver before you take off the mask or oxygen tubing.
  
  
• Pulse oximeter: A pulse oximeter is a device that measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. A cord with a clip or sticky strip is placed on your finger, ear, or toe. The other end of the cord is hooked to a machine. Never turn the pulse oximeter or alarm off. An alarm will sound if your oxygen level is low or cannot be read.
  
  
• Reverse isolation: You may be put on reverse isolation safety measures if your body is having a hard time fighting infections. You are given a private room to protect you from other people's germs. Caregivers and visitors may wear gloves, a face mask, or a gown to keep their germs away from you. Everyone should wash their hands when entering and leaving your room.
  
  
• Tests: You may need one or more of the following tests to help your caregivers plan your treatment.
  
  
  • Blood Tests: You may have blood drawn for many different types of tests. Certain tests can be done to help caregivers know if you have testicular cancer. They may help caregivers know if it has spread. These tests are called tumor marker tests. One tumor marker test is called alpha-fetoprotein (fee-toh-PROH-teen), or AFP. Two other tumor marker tests are called human chorionic (kor-ee-ON-ik) gondadotropin (go-nad-oh-TROHF-in) (HCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (dee-HI-droh-jen-ays) (LDH). These tests can help caregivers plan surgery or other tests. The tests can also help your caregiver watch the cancer.
    
    
  • Bone scan: This is a test to look at your bones. You are given a small amount of dye through an IV, and pictures of your bones are taken. Caregivers can look at the pictures for broken bones, infections, and other problems.
    
    
  • Chest x-ray: This is a picture of your lungs and heart. Caregivers use it to see how your lungs and heart are doing. Caregivers may use the x-ray to look for signs of infection like pneumonia, or to look for collapsed lungs. Chest x-rays may show tumors, broken ribs, or fluid around the heart and lungs.
    
    
  • CT and PET Scans:
    
    
    • You may have computerized axial tomography (TOH-moh-graf-ee) (CT scan) or positron emission (ee-MISH-un) tomography (PET scan). You may have both tests. A special x-ray machine uses a computer to take pictures of your abdomen (belly), chest, and other organs. Your caregivers look at the pictures to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
      
      
    • Before taking the pictures, you may be given dye through an IV in your vein. You may feel warm after the dye is put into your IV. The dye helps the cancer show up better in the pictures. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to shellfish (lobster, crab, or shrimp). If you are, you may also be allergic to this dye.
    
    
  • Lymphangiography: Lymphangiography is a test that uses x-rays to take pictures of your lymph system and lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are groups of special cells in your body that can get swollen with an infection. Before the x-ray, dye is put into a lymph vessel through a small cut in one or both feet. This dye helps the lymph system show up better in x-rays. People who are allergic to shellfish (lobster, crab, or shrimp) may be allergic to this dye. Tell your caregiver if you are allergic to shellfish, dyes, or any medicines.
    
    
  • Ultrasound: An ultrasound is a simple test that looks inside of your scrotum. Sound waves are used to show pictures of your scrotum and testicles on a TV-like screen. This test is used to help see if your lump is cancer. It may help caregivers to see if the cancer has spread.
  
  
• Surgery: A radical inguinal (ING-gwi-nal) orchiectomy (ohr-kee-EK-toh-mee) is a surgery done to remove the testicle that has cancer in it. Tissue from the testicle is tested to learn what type of cancer cells were growing in your testicle. You may also need to have some lymph nodes taken out of your abdomen. This may help keep the cancer from spreading to other parts of your body. Cancer that has spread to other parts of your body may also be removed.
  
  
• Treatment Options: Your treatment may change if the cancer is not being controlled. This is often decided after you have tests. You may have some of the following treatments alone or together.
  
  
  • Chemotherapy:
    
    
    • This medicine, often called chemo, is used to treat cancer. It works by killing tumor cells. Chemotherapy may also be used to shrink lymph nodes that have cancer in them. Once the tumor is smaller, you may need surgery to cut out the rest of the cancer.
      
      
    • Many different chemotherapy medicines are used to treat cancer. You may need blood tests often. These blood tests show how your body is doing and how much chemotherapy is needed. Chemotherapy can have many side effects. Caregivers will watch you closely and will work with you to decrease side effects. Chemotherapy can cure some cancers. Even if the chemotherapy does not cure your cancer, it may help you feel better or live longer.
    
    
  • Radiation: This is a treatment using x-rays or gamma rays to treat cancer. Radiation kills cancer and keeps the cancer from spreading. It also keeps cancer cells from dividing into new cells, which is one way cancer spreads. Lymph nodes with cancer are also treated with radiation. In some cancers, radiation may be given after surgery to kill cancer cells that were not removed. It may also be given with chemotherapy. Radiation may help decrease pain, control bleeding, and shrink the tumor.
  
  
• Vital signs: Caregivers will check your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and temperature. They will also ask about your pain. These vital signs give caregivers information about your current health.

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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.

Learn more about Testicular Cancer (Inpatient Care)