Long-term side effects of treatment for testis cancer.
Patients newly diagnosed with testis cancer can now expect excellent results with respect to long-term, disease-free survival after treatment. Given the young age of presentation for many of these patients, the long-term consequences of curing testis cancer have become a major concern. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for testis cancer have all been associated with potential long-term side-effects. Consequently, new treatment regimens have been directed toward minimizing these possible side-effects while at the same time maintaining high cure rates (i.e., limiting the size of radiation fields, decreasing the number of chemotherapy cycles, eliminating bleomycin). Patients and physicians must be made aware of the potential adverse side effects of treatment for testis cancer. At the present time, however, it appears that the beneficial effects of such treatment, with respect to overall and disease-free survival, far outweigh the limited probability of persistent treatment-related side effects in patients newly diagnosed with testis cancer.
Grossfeld
G D
GD
Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, USA.
Small
E J
EJ
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D018237:Germinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D018239:Seminoma / Q000628:therapy; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents