Testicular cancer: side effects

[ --- Nota bene: Unless stated otherwise all information listed on this page was written and provided by a TC patient and not by a doctor. Although it was collected with great attention it cannot and shall in no way replace your visit to your local doctor! --- ]

[Preface: This page may seem like an opus diaboli, I admit. But its intention is not to frighten you - although it is quite frightful.
I strongly believe that it is vital for a testicular cancer patient to face the reality. There is hope. A lot of hope. But there are also risks.]

There may be a bunch of side effects, obviously heavily related to the treatment that is applied. And as we are dealing with human beings it is clear that no listing can ever be complete, but to name a few as a starting point:

• Surgery: Orchiectomy
  • psychological problems related to shame and self esteem,
    resulting in an altered sex life
  • typical side effects of an operation under anaesthesia
  • again: The full removal of one testicle does not directly affect your ability to get an erection or to father children!
    
    
• Chemotherapy
  • nausea
  • hair loss
  • fatigue
  • mouth sores
  • changing taste
  • risk of infection
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • tinnitus
  • inflammation in the lungs
  • depression
  • infertility
    
    
• Bone marrow transplantation/high dose chemotherapy
  • nausea
  • hair loss
  • fatigue
  • mouth sores
  • changing taste
  • severe risk of infection
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • tinnitus
  • inflammation in the lungs
  • depression
  • infertility
    
    
• Radiation therapy
  • nausea
  • fatigue
  • diarrhoea
    
    
• Surgery: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND)
  • retrograde ejaculation
  • lymphocele
  • ileus
  • infertility
  • typical side effects of an operation under anaesthesia

[next: prognosis]