Orchiectomy’s Affect Prostate Cancer
An orchiectomy serves as a type of treatment option in the form of hormone therapy. Removing the testicles, or the tissue that lines the testicles and produces testosterone can lower overall levels of testosterone in the body. Prostate cancer cells are often fueled to grow by androgens like testosterone. When the supply of testosterone is depleted or reduced, tumor cells may be starved off and stop growing.1,2
Surgery To Remove The Testicle
After doing a physical examination, ultrasound and blood tests, your urologist may strongly suspect testicular cancer. However, none of these tests can give a definite diagnosis.
The only way to be sure of the diagnosis is to surgically remove the affected testicle and examine it in a laboratory. The surgery to remove a testicle is called an orchidectomy or orchiectomy.
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Benefits And Risks Of Orchiectomy To Treat Prostate Cancer
Even though this is a type of surgery, its main effect is as a form of hormone therapy. In this operation, the surgeon removes the testicles, where most of the androgens are made, states the American Cancer Society, emphasizing the advantages and disadvantages of this procedure. This causes most prostate cancers to stop growing or shrink for a time. This is done as an outpatient procedure. It is probably the least expensive and simplest form of hormone therapy. But unlike some of the other treatments, it is permanent, and many men have trouble accepting the removal of their testicles. Some men having this surgery are concerned about how it will look afterward. If wanted, artificial testicles that look much like normal ones can be inserted into the scrotum.
Note: Prostate Cancer News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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Risks Of Prostate Surgery
The risks with any type of radical prostatectomy are much like those of any major surgery. Problems during or shortly after the operation can include:
- Reactions to anesthesia
- Blood clots in the legs or lungs
- Damage to nearby organs
- Infections at the surgery site.
Rarely, part of the intestine might be injured during surgery, which could lead to infections in the abdomen and might require more surgery to fix. Injuries to the intestines are more common with laparoscopic and robotic surgeries than with the open approach.
If lymph nodes are removed, a collection of lymph fluid can form and may need to be drained.
In extremely rare cases, a man can die because of complications of this operation. Your risk depends, in part, on your overall health, your age, and the skill of your surgical team.
After Testicular Cancer Has Been Diagnosed Tests Are Done To Find Out If Cancer Cells Have Spread Within The Testicles Or To Other Parts Of The Body
The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the testicles or to otherparts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from thestaging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to knowthe stage in order to plan treatment.
The following tests andprocedures may be used in the staging process:
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Male Fertility And Infertility
Fertility refers to having the ability to conceive, or being able to have a child. For males, fertility means they are able to father a child through normal sexual activity. A persons fertility depends on their reproductive organs working as they should and other factors, such as when and how often they are having sex, certain hormones, and if their partner has any problems with fertility.
When a person cannot have a child, this is called infertility, or being infertile. For males, infertility means they are not able to father a child through normal sexual activity. Doctors usually consider a person infertile when they have not been able to conceive a child after 12 or more months of regular sexual activity.
Problems with fertility can also be called reproductive problemsoralterations. They happen when certain hormone levels are abnormally low or high or if reproduction organs are removed or arent working properly. Some people never find out why they are having fertility problems. Many experts believe stress and anxiety can cause changes that play a part in infertility.
People with certain types of cancer or who are getting treatment for cancer may have fertility problems. Children and teenagers who have cancer are often of special concern. You can read more about specific adult and childhood cancers in Cancer A to Z and can learn more about how fertility might be affected in How Cancer and Cancer Treatment Can Affect Fertility.
True North Testicular Cancer
- Testicular torsion: The spermatic cord can twist, displacing the testicle and potentially leading to obstruction of blood flow, which can cause loss of the testicle if not properly corrected. This condition is a surgical emergency that needs to be urgently addressed. Undescended testes: Usually diagnosed during childhood, this condition occurs when one or both testes remain in the abdomen.
- A small incision is made in the front of the scrotum and the testicles are removed. If the cancer has already reached the bones, this is the quickest way to slow tumor growth and pain.Testosterone levels drop dramatically and the patient often has rapid relief from cancer symptoms. For sleep apnea, what are the pros/cons of the full (nose.
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There Are Three Ways That Cancer Spreads In The Body
Cancer can spread through tissue, the lymph system, and the blood:
- Tissue. The cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas.
- Lymph system. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system. The cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body.
- Blood. The cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood. The cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body.
Permission To Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. The content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text. It cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless the whole summary is shown and it is updated regularly. However, a user would be allowed to write a sentence such as NCIs PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks in the following way: .
The best way to cite this PDQ summary is:
PDQ® Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Testicular Cancer Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Updated < MM/DD/YYYY> . Available at: . Accessed < MM/DD/YYYY> .
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Robotic Or Laparoscopic Prostatectomy
Robotic prostate surgery removes the entire prostate gland and is done by laparoscopic or robotic techniques. This type of surgery is less invasive than radical prostatectomy, in which a camera and instruments are inserted through key-hole incisions into the pelvic region. This allows a better view of the pelvic area without a large abdominal incision. The surgeon then controls the robotic instrument for the operation of prostate removal.
Robotic prostatectomy causes less bleeding and less pain and may shorten recovery time. The sexual and urinary side effects are similar to those of radical prostatectomy.
Why is da Vinci® prostatectomy a good option for prostate removal?
Robotic prostate surgery is accomplished using the da Vinci® Surgical System, which allows surgeons to operate with improved vision, dexterity, and control.
Risks And Side Effects Of The Procedure
The side effects of an orchiectomy are primarily related to sudden hormonal changes in the body. These changes include:
- Thinning of the bones
- Reduction of muscle mass
The major risks that can happen when having an orchiectomy include reactions to the anesthesia or other medications related to the procedure, bleeding, or infections. It is important to talk with your provider about any other medications or supplements you are taking prior to the procedure, as well as to disclose your full medical history. These are not all the possible side effects of an orchiectomy. Talk to your doctor about what to expect or if you experience any changes that concern you during treatment with an orchiectomy.2,3
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Should You Worry About An Elevated Psa After Prostate Removal
PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen and is often a very good indicator of how effective treatment has been, in case of prostate removal or other prostate surgeries.
After prostate surgery, the PSA level gets very low, but this result isnt always reliable. Thats why the patient should discuss the expected PSA levels after prostatectomy with their doctor.
A lower PSA level following the removal of the prostate gland is only a part of the overall picture. There are many factors to monitor closely after prostate surgery.
Nursing Allied Health And Interprofessional Team Interventions
Clinical specialist nurses are very experienced in the care of patients with cancers. Macmillan nurses are involved early in the management of testicular cancers, and they provide early guidance, optimal follow-up, and advice when required. They offer a strong link between the surgeon, the oncologist, and the palliative care physicians.
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Orchiectomy As A Complication Of Testicular Torsion
Among children and adolescents diagnosed with testicular torsion, the orchiectomy rate is as high as 42%. Though the goal during surgery is to correct the twist of the spermatic cord, orchiectomy is performed if the testicle is examined during the surgery to have dead tissue and suspected to no longer be a functioning testicle . Delays in diagnosis and treatment increase the risk of orchiectomy, with diagnosis in the first four to eight hours of symptoms being critical to prevent permanent ischemic damage, decreased fertility, and need for orchiectomy.
What Is A Prostatectomy
A prostatectomy is a surgical procedure for the partial or complete removalof the prostate. It may be performed to treatprostate cancerorbenign prostatic hyperplasia.
A common surgical approach to prostatectomy includes making a surgicalincision and removing the prostate gland . This may beaccomplished with either of two methods, the retropubic or suprapubicincision , or a perineum incision .
Prior to having a prostatectomy, it’s often necessary to have aprostate biopsy. Please see this procedure for additional information.
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Treatment Of Stage Ii Testicular Cancer
For information about the treatments listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.
- Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes in the abdomen.
Treatment of nonseminoma may include the following:
- Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes, with long-term follow-up.
- Surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes, followed by combination chemotherapy and long-term follow-up.
- Surgery to remove the testicle, followed by combination chemotherapy and a second surgery if cancer remains, with long-term follow-up.
- Combination chemotherapy before surgery to remove the testicle, for cancer that has spread and is thought to be life-threatening.
Use our clinical trial search to find NCI-supported cancer clinical trials that are accepting patients. You can search for trials based on the type of cancer, the age of the patient, and where the trials are being done. General information about clinical trials is also available.
How Is Hormone Therapy Used To Treat Hormone
Hormone therapy may be used in several ways to treat hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, including:
Early-stage prostate cancer with an intermediate or high risk of recurrence. Men with early-stage prostate cancer that has an intermediate or high risk of recurrence often receive hormone therapy before, during, and/or after radiation therapy, or after prostatectomy . Factors that are used to determine the risk of prostate cancer recurrence include the grade of the tumor , the extent to which the tumor has spread into surrounding tissue, and whether tumor cells are found in nearby lymph nodes during surgery.
The use of hormone therapy before prostatectomy has not been shown to be of benefit and is not a standard treatment. More intensive androgen blockade prior to prostatectomy is being studied in clinical trials.
Relapsed/recurrent prostate cancer. Hormone therapy used alone is the standard treatment for men who have a prostate cancer recurrence as documented byCT, MRI, or bone scan after treatment with radiation therapy or prostatectomy.
Hormone therapy is sometimes recommended for men who have a “biochemical” recurrencea rise in prostate-specific antigen level following primary local treatment with surgery or radiationespecially if the PSA level doubles in fewer than 3 months.
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Prostate Cancer Removal Of Testicles
my Dad has been doing hormone injections for almost 8 years for prostate cancer. This year, his PSA had risen significantly to in the thousands. He was put in a clinical trial for Enzalutamide . His PSA is now 44 which is good. He is, however really struggling with the immediate side effects of the monthly hormone shots. He gets severe flu like symptoms for several hours. He is considering having his testicles removed. Does anyone have any advice on this? He is not concerned about the sexual function as he is 77 years old. It is such a permanent procedure, he wants to make sure it’s the way to go.
Hello Pink diamond,
Welcome to our forum! You have joined the right forum to talk about prostate cancer. Many of our members here have had prostate cancer. You will probably notice someone called woodworm – Brian – who had prostate cancer and I think he may have had hormone injections. So hopefully he will notice your message and come and say hello.
If you wanted to ask our nurses for advice, you can ring them on this free number 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
Best wishes,
Please let us know how things turn out. Sending best wishes and kind thoughts your way, Brian
What Types Of Hormone Therapy Are Used For Prostate Cancer
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can block the production or use of androgens . Currently available treatments can do so in several ways:
- reducing androgen production by the testicles
- blocking the action of androgens throughout the body
- block androgen production throughout the body
Androgen production in men. Drawing shows that testosterone production is regulated by luteinizing hormone and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone . The hypothalamus releases LHRH, which stimulates the release of LH from the pituitary gland. LH acts on specific cells in the testes to produce the majority of testosterone in the body. Most of the remaining androgens are produced by the adrenal glands. Androgens are taken up by prostate cells, where they either bind to the androgen receptor directly or are converted to dihydrotestosterone , which has a greater binding affinity for the androgen receptor than testosterone.
Treatments that reduce androgen production by the testicles are the most commonly used hormone therapies for prostate cancer and the first type of hormone therapy that most men with prostate cancer receive. This form of hormone therapy includes:
Treatments that block the action of androgens in the body are typically used when ADT stops working. Such treatments include:
Treatments that block the production of androgens throughout the body include:
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Testicular Tenderness Post Prostatectomy
romneyj
I had my prostate removed nearly three weeks ago and 8 days ago had my catheter removed . Coincidental with the catheter removal, I began to get very sensitive testicles which have got no less sensitive over the eight least eight days.
Looking up vasectomies I discovered that in one study 18.7% and in another 14.7% of men had new onset scrotal pain post vasectomy .
Talking to my nurse, she says very few men complain of tenderness. I’d be fascinated to hear how many of you have experienced this and for how long .
My own tenderness by the way does not result in continuous pain but demands careful touching when washing and protection from being squeezed in any way. My explanation for it beggining 11 days post surgery is that that was the time needed to begin to build up back pressure.
0 likes, 45 replies
Who Might Need An Orchiectomy
Healthcare providers use orchiectomies to:
- Treat cancer: Orchiectomy is the initial diagnostic and treatment step for testicular cancer. This removes the primary cancer, and also allows the pathologist to see tissue for diagnosis. Its also used as a treatment for male breast cancer and prostate cancer. Androgens encourage some cancer cells to grow. Without the testes, hormone levels drop. An orchiectomy shrinks tumors by cutting off the male hormones that help them grow.
- Help transgender people transition: As part of the transition process, many transgender women choose to have an orchiectomy. Healthcare providers may do this procedure as a single surgery. Or they may perform it as part of comprehensive gender reassignment surgery . In addition to physical changes, an orchiectomy greatly reduces male hormone levels in the body.
- Remove damaged testicles: Sports injuries, motorcycle accidents other trauma can cause severe damage to the testicles. If a healthcare provider cant repair the testicle, they remove it and stitch up surrounding tissues. In rare cases, providers may need to remove an undescended testicle.
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