Surgery

Surgery is often the primary treatment used for testicular cancer. The surgeon removes one or both testicles from the scrotum through an incision in the groin, and cuts through the spermatic cord that attaches the testicle to the body. This procedure is called a radical inguinal orchiectomy. It’s important to note that if both testicles are removed, you will no longer produce sperm and will not be able to have children.

Depending on the type and stage of your cancer, some lymph nodes behind the abdomen may also need to be removed. This can be combined with the removal of the testicle, or performed at a later time, depending on your particular circumstances. This procedure, called retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, can be a major operation because a large incision is often required to remove the lymph nodes.

To preserve fertility, surgeons have developed a type of retroperitoneal lymph node surgery called nerve-sparing surgery that is promising in terms of preserving the nerves and allowing for normal ejaculation.

In some cases, the surgeon can remove lymph nodes through a smaller incision in the abdomen by using a narrow lighted tube called a laparoscope.

This procedure is not as widely accepted as the traditional retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, but providers continue to research more effective, less invasive surgical treatments for testicular cancer.