Testicular Cancer and Fertility – Know How Treatment Improves Your Fertility

 We all know that testicular cancer and fertility are linked to each other, but treating it can greatly improve your fertility. Most men are living a healthy and happy life after getting treatment for testicular cancer.

Men who are diagnosed with testicular cancer, it is important to consult a fertility specialist prior getting any treatment. Here is the brief overview of each treatment for testicular cancer and fertility improvement:

Chemotherapy

Usually it may not affect your sex ability, but the side effects may decrease your sex drive for a while. However some high dose chemotherapy treatments may cause infertility.

Fertility problems caused by chemotherapy are just temporary and you will regain the sex drive after completion of the treatment. The rate at which fertility returns will vary from person to person.

Some men when they are diagnosed with testicular cancer may already have low sperm count. But successful treatment with chemotherapy can improve the production of sperm.

Radiation therapy

Usually this treatment for the nodes in the abdomen will not affect your ability to have sex and usually won’t cause infertility. Generally a cancer specialist suggests you to store the sperm.

Surgery for Testicular Cancer and Fertility

Surgical removal of testicle won’t affect the sexual performance or the ability to become father of a child. In case one testicle is healthy, it will produce sperm and more testosterone to make up for the testicle that has been removed.

Men who had surgery for the removal of retro-peritoneal lymph nodes may notice nerve damage that can lead to retrograde ejaculation. When this condition happens, sperm goes backward into the bladder instead of coming out through the penis. Then the sperm is passed out harmlessly in the urine.

Here are few facts about treatment for testicular cancer and fertility:

• This type of cancer usually affects men during their reproductive years, when fertility is most crucial.
• As testicles are responsible for sperm production, cancer and any kind of cancer treatment can affect sperm health and cause low sperm count or various other reproductive problems.
• Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can damage a man’s ability of sperm production. In some rare cases, these treatments may also cause infertility after the completion of cancer treatment.
• In case surgery is needed to treat the cancer, it involves removal of testicles. Sometimes, it may also lead to infertility.
• Testicular cancer itself can result in to low sperm count for men. Following the treatment, men may notice an improvement in the sperm count and fertility may return.