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All men who are diagnosed with testicular cancer should talk to their doctors about fertility concerns. It is highly recommended that each man produce a semen sample that can be frozen and stored for future use in case his fertility is affected by treatment. Frozen sperm can be thawed at a later date and used to artificially inseminate a partner. Does testicular cancer affect the chances of having children?Cancer in a single testis may not affect the chance of having children. In many men, after a cancerous testis is removed, the remaining testis continues to make testosterone, which triggers the production of sperm. Many men who have had testicular cancer have gone on to father children.
However, men who are diagnosed with testicular cancer are more likely to have reduced fertility before any treatment starts. Fertility can be further affected by the follow-up cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is therefore possible that some men who have had testicular cancer may have trouble producing children.
Infertile men have a higher risk of testicular cancer, and therefore may already have difficulty fathering children.
Professional medical advice is recommended for men wanting to have children after treatment for testicular cancer.  Back to top
How does radiotherapy affect fertility?During radiotherapy, attempts are made to shield the other non-affected testis but some exposure may happen and may temporarily lower sperm counts. As radiation can cause genetic damage in the germ cell precursors of sperm, it is advisable to avoid attempting a pregnancy for 2 years after radiation treatment.
Young men who have not had their families at the time of diagnosis of testicular cancer may need to consider the possible effects of radiotherapy on their fertility. As a precaution, it is highly recommended that each man produce a semen sample that can be frozen and stored for future use. Without delaying treatment for testicular cancer, sperm should be stored before radiotherapy as radiation may cause genetic damage to the sperm. Back to top
How does chemotherapy affect fertility?Young men who have not had their families at the time of diagnosis of testicular cancer need to carefully consider the effect of chemotherapy on their fertility. Many of these young men may already have lower fertility before treatment has begun.
All men who are considering chemotherapy should talk to their doctor about fertility concerns as chemotherapy can destroy sperm cells. It is highly recommended that each man produce a semen sample that can be frozen and stored for future use in case his fertility is permanently affected by chemotherapy. Without delaying treatment for testicular cancer, sperm should be stored before chemotherapy drugs are given as chemotherapy drugs can be toxic to sperm.
Most patients return to the level of fertility they had before the chemotherapy after a period of time, which varies from 3 to 5 years. Back to top
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