Active surveillance for testicular cancer
Active surveillance means that your healthcare team watches the cancer closely rather than giving treatment right away. They will use tests and exams to check if testicular cancer is progressing or your condition is getting worse. Treatment is given if the cancer comes back (recurs).
You may be offered active surveillance for testicular cancer if your tumour marker levels and CT scan results are normal after surgery to remove the testicle (called a radical inguinal orchiectomy, or an orchiectomy). Active surveillance is the preferred management for stage 1 testicular cancer after surgery because it helps most people avoid problems or side effects that can happen with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. There is no evidence so far that people won’t live as long when they get active surveillance compared to other treatments. And there is no evidence that active surveillance has other negative effects if or when you start treatment.
There are no standard active surveillance schedules for testicular cancer. Active surveillance may last for 5 to 10 years. You may have follow-up visits every 2 to 6 months for the first 3 years and then less often for the remaining years.
Tests that are often done during a follow-up visit include:
- a physical exam
- blood tests to check tumour marker levels
- a chest x-ray
- a CT scan or MRI of the abdomen
Your trusted source for accurate cancer information
With support from readers like you, we can continue to provide the highest quality cancer information for over 100 types of cancer.
We’re here to ensure easy access to accurate cancer information for you and the millions of people who visit this website every year. But we can’t do it alone.
Every donation helps fund reliable cancer information, compassionate support services and the most promising research. Please give today because every contribution counts. Thank you.