Stage I Testicular Cancer
Stage II Testicular Cancer
Stage III Testicular Cancer

Stage I Testicular Cancer

Treatment of stage I testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma.

Treatment of seminoma is usually surgery to remove the testicle, with or without radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the abdomen after the surgery, with lifelong follow-up.

Treatment of nonseminoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes in the abdomen, with lifelong follow-up.
• Surgery to remove the testicle, followed by chemotherapy and lifelong follow-up.
• Surgery to remove the testicle, with lifelong follow-up.

Treatment of stage II testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma.

Treatment of seminoma may include the following:

• When the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller, treatment is usually surgery to remove the testicle followed by radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the abdomen and pelvis, with lifelong follow-up.
• When the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters, treatment is usually surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy or radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the abdomen and pelvis, with lifelong follow-up.

Treatment of nonseminoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes, with lifelong follow-up.
• Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes, followed by combination chemotherapy and lifelong follow-up.
• Surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy and a second surgery if cancer remains, with lifelong follow-up.
• Combination chemotherapy before surgery to remove the testicle, for cancer that has spread and is thought to be life-threatening.
• A clinical trial of combination chemotherapy instead of removing the lymph nodes.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage III testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma.

Treatment of seminoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy. Any tumor remaining after treatment will need lifelong follow-up.
• A clinical trial of a new therapy.
• A clinical trial of high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplant.

Treatment of nonseminoma may include the following:

• Surgery to remove the testicle, followed by combination chemotherapy.
• Combination chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove any remaining tumor. Additional chemotherapy may be given if the tumor tissue removed contains cancer cells that are growing.
• Combination chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy to the brain for cancer that has spread to the brain.
• Combination chemotherapy before surgery to remove the testicle, for cancer that has spread and is thought to be life-threatening.
• A clinical trial of a new therapy.
• A clinical trial of high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplant.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.