Medications

Chemotherapy treatment for testicular cancer uses powerful medicines to kill the cancer cells in your body. But because of the risk of serious side effects linked to chemotherapy, it is important to discuss the risks and benefits of these medicines with your doctor before starting treatment.

Chemotherapy can cause nausea and vomiting. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to control nausea and vomiting to take before, during, or after your treatments.

Medication choices

Some common medicines used to treat testicular cancer include:

• Carboplatin. Seminoma cancer may be treated with a single dose of this chemotherapy medicine.
• Cisplatin-combination chemotherapy. Nonseminoma cancer may be treated with combinations of chemotherapy medicines, such as:
  • Bleomycin
  • Cisplatin
  • Etoposide
  • Ifosfamide
  • Paclitaxel
  • Vinblastine

What to think about

You may be given a choice between receiving chemotherapy or another treatment. When making your decision, it is important to talk to your doctor about the risks and possible side effects of chemotherapy.