Testicular Cancer Recurrence
A small percentage of men with testicular cancer will experience a recurrence at some point in their lives, although most recurrent tumors develop within one to two years after the initial tumors have been treated. Testicular cancer is considered recurrent if the original tumor has been successfully destroyed and there are no traces of cancer detected in the body for a notable period of time before another tumor develops. To help diagnose recurrent tumors as soon as possible (in the event that one does develop), patients are typically scheduled for annual ultrasounds and taught how to do monthly self-exams. Should a man develop a testicular cancer recurrence, he will typically be treated with one or more of the following options, depending on the treatments that were used for his original tumor:
- Combination chemotherapy (two or more chemotherapy medications given at the same time)
- High-dose chemotherapy with a bone marrow transplant
- Surgery (provided that the cancer has come back more than two years after the original tumor was removed, or if the cancer has come back in one location and does not improve with chemotherapy)
- Radiation therapy
These options are all available through Moffitt Cancer Center’s Urologic Oncology Program, along with novel therapies such as tumor cell vaccines and cancer stemness inhibitors. Through our robust clinical trials program, we make innovative therapies like these available to our patients before they are used in standard settings. For these efforts, we’ve received the designation of Comprehensive Cancer Center, awarded by the National Cancer Institute. If you’d like to learn more about our approach to treating patients with a testicular cancer recurrence, call 1-888-663-3488 or set up an appointment online. There’s no need to obtain a referral from your physician before you schedule a visit.
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