Side effects of radiotherapy for testicular cancer

Side effects tend to start a few days after the radiotherapy begins. They gradually get worse during the treatment. They can continue to get worse after your treatment ends. But they usually begin to improve after 1 or 2 weeks.

Everyone is different and the side effects vary from person to person. You might not have all of the effects mentioned.

Side effects can include:

Radiotherapy causes tiredness.

Tiredness starts during your course of treatment. It usually lasts for about a week after your treatment has finished and then gradually gets better.

You might also feel weak and lack energy. Staying active can help.

Sometimes the skin in the treatment area gets red and sore – a bit like mild sunburn.

This is not usually too bad with radiotherapy for testicular cancer, particularly if you only need radiotherapy for 2 weeks.

You usually have radiotherapy to your tummy (abdomen) if you are having treatment for testicular cancer.

This can cause sickness. It's usually mild. You may not have it at all.

If you feel sick, tell your doctor, radiographer or radiotherapy nurse. Your doctor should give you anti sickness tablets to take every day before your treatment.

Tell them if you still have sickness despite the tablets. You can try another type of anti sickness tablet. Some work better for some people than others.

If you don't feel like eating, you could try a high calorie food supplement drink. You can get these at most chemists or your doctor can prescribe them.

If you have problems with your diet, ask to see a dietitian at the hospital.

You usually have radiotherapy to your tummy (abdomen) if you are having treatment for testicular cancer.

This can cause diarrhoea. It's usually mild. You may not have it at all.

Diarrhoea can be helped with medicine to slow down your bowel. Ask your healthcare team if you should take these.

It’s usually best to try to have a healthy balanced diet if you can. Try to eat small meals and snacks regularly. Ask your team if you need to make any changes to your diet. Some people find it best to avoid high fibre foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, bran and raw vegetables.

Drink plenty to try and replace the fluid lost. Aim for 8 to 10 glasses per day.
 

If you have radiotherapy for testicular cancer, you usually have treatment to the lymph nodes in the tummy (abdomen). The radiographer directs the beams:

  • at an area down the middle of the stomach or abdomen
  • sometimes at the groin

A lead shield protects the testicle from the radiotherapy beams. But there is a small risk that your remaining testicle could get a dose of radiation.

Doctors advise men not to try to father a child when having radiotherapy treatment, and for up to a year afterwards. After this time, the risk of abnormalities in the baby is not increased.

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    J Oldenburg and others
    Annals of Oncology, 2013. Volume 24, Supplement 6, pages 125 - 132

  • EAU Guidelines on Testicular Cancer
    MP Laguna and others
    European Association of Urology 2021

  • Cancer and its Management (7th edition)
    J Tobias and D Hochhauser 
    Wiley Blackwell 2015

  • Cancer Priniciples & Practice of Oncology (10th edition)
    V T DeVita Jr, T S Lawrence and S A Rosenberg
    Wolters Kluwer 2015

Last reviewed: 
06 Feb 2022
Next review due: 
06 Feb 2025

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