Can advanced testicular cancer be cured?

Testicular cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the testicles of the male reproductive system. It is a common tumor in the male reproductive system, accounting for about 2% of male malignant tumors. Testicular cancer is more common in young men aged 20 to 40. As one of the most common cancers in young men, the cause of testicular cancer is not well known. According to statistics, the incidence of testicular cancer in men is 7 in 100,000, and it is increasing year by year.

The treatment of testicular cancer mainly adopts surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Mid- and late-stage testicular tumors often metastasize to the pelvic and abdominal cavities through lymph nodes, so during surgery, the abdominal lymph nodes must be checked according to the nature of the tumor. In addition, testicular tumor cells may also reach the chest and supraclavicular lymph nodes in both necks through the abdominal lymphatic pathways, which can be diagnosed with the help of lymph node scanning and angiography. Testicular tumors are very sensitive to radiation, and lymph nodes that are prone to metastasis must be irradiated with radiation after surgery to ensure that there is no risk of failure. The survival rate of patients who undergo radiation is 3 to 4 times higher than that of patients who do not undergo radiation.

Treatments for testicular cancer include:

1. Surgery for testicular cancer

The procedure of removing part of a testicle through the groin is called a terminal inguinal orchiectomy. Men who undergo this treatment may worry that removing one testicle will affect their sexual ability and may cause infertility. However, men with only one healthy testicle can still have normal erections and produce sperm. Therefore, surgical removal of one testicle will not make a man impotent or infertile. During the surgery, the doctor can place an artificial testicle in the scrotum. This artificial testicle weighs and feels like a normal testicle, and the uninformed person cannot tell the difference between an artificial testicle and a natural testicle by appearance. Some lymph nodes deep in the abdomen are also removed. Although this surgery does not affect the man's normal erection and orgasm, it can cause infertility because it may prevent ejaculation.

2. Radiation therapy for testicular cancer

Radiation therapy is a method of using high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor. Radiation therapy is a local treatment that affects only cancer cells in the treated area. When treating testicular cancer, doctors use an accelerator outside the patient's body to send high-energy rays to the lymph nodes in the abdomen. Spermatogonia are very sensitive to radiation. Non-spermatogonia are not sensitive to radiation. Therefore, radiation therapy is not usually used for non-spermatogonia. Radiation therapy should be used after orchiectomy. Radiation therapy affects not only cancer cells, but also normal cells. The side effects of radiation therapy are usually determined by the dose of treatment. Common side effects include fatigue, skin changes in the treated area, nausea, and diarrhea. Radiation therapy can affect the patient's sperm production, but most patients will still be able to have children for 1 to 2 years.

3. Chemotherapy for testicular cancer

Chemotherapy is a method of killing cancer cells throughout the body with anticancer drugs. Chemotherapy is often used after surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. This method is called adjuvant therapy. Chemotherapy can also be used as the first treatment if the cancer is in an advanced stage. Most anticancer drugs are given by injection directly into a vein.

The patient has testicular cancer. If there is no metastasis, surgical resection is required. Secondly, if there is ulceration and metastasis, palliative treatment is needed. The possibility of cure is not high, and the main thing is to prolong time and improve quality of life.