Inguinal Orchiectomy: After getting the diagnosis of testicular cancer, this is an operation that is very necessary. Urologists will usually suspect cancer simply by feeling the testicle that is afflicted; but, there are some other tests that can be done in order to confirm the diagnosis. They might try procedures such as transillumination which is simply shining a light that is very bright thru the testicle in order to exclude a benign cyst but in most cases the physician will probably order an ultrasound as this is extremely good at showing testicular tumors.

Biopsies for these tumors are not done simply due to the stats indicating that there is a 95% chance of testicular tumors being malignant. And your physician will not want to chance the risk of spreading the cancer while still in the body. So, the therapy of choice is the removal of the entire testicle for dissection under the microscope with no biopsy.

Many patients ask why the tumor cannot be removed leaving the testicle? There are few physicians who will perform this operation as experts do not recommend this. Testicular cancer is still dangerous and the reason for this surgery is to eliminate all the cancer. Even if the procedure gets all the cancer, there is the chance by leaving a portion of the testicle behind there will certainly be pre-cancerous cells left that can develop into another tumor.

Totally removing the testicle will not affect the patient in any way other than minor recovery post-operatively. One testicle is all that is necessary in order to grow hair, be manly, have erections, have intercourse as well as helping to produce babies – all can be done with only one testicle.