Testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers, with cure rates above 95% even when it has spread. Most men are diagnosed between ages 15 and 35. Treatment typically involves surgery to remove the affected testicle, often followed by chemotherapy or radiation depending on the type and stage.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing ways to reduce chemotherapy intensity for early-stage disease, new drug combinations for relapsed cancer, and fertility-preserving approaches. Researchers are also studying biomarkers that predict which men can safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery, and testing immunotherapy drugs for the small percentage whose cancer returns after standard treatment.
Reduced chemotherapy
Studies are testing whether men with early-stage seminoma can skip radiation or chemotherapy after surgery, relying on surveillance alone. Early results suggest many can avoid treatment without reducing cure rates.
Relapsed disease treatments
For the 20-30% whose cancer returns, trials are testing new platinum drug combinations and immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab. Some are also studying high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue.
Fertility preservation
Research is examining sperm banking timing, testosterone recovery after treatment, and whether certain chemotherapy regimens better preserve fertility. Studies also track long-term health outcomes in survivors.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cancer type (seminoma or nonseminoma), stage at diagnosis, tumor markers, and whether this is newly diagnosed or relapsed disease.
What types of trials are currently open
- De-escalation trials — Testing whether men with early-stage cancer can safely receive less chemotherapy or radiation, or skip it entirely with careful monitoring.
- Relapsed disease trials — Testing new drug combinations or immunotherapy for cancers that return after initial treatment.
- Surveillance studies — Comparing active monitoring with imaging and bloodwork to immediate chemotherapy after surgery for early-stage disease.
- Survivorship studies — Following men long-term to track fertility, heart health, hearing, and other effects of treatment.
Recently added Testicular Cancer trials
miRNA to Guide Appropriate Intervention of Small Testis Masses
This study aims to determine, for the first time, if miRNA-371a-3p can be used as an accurate biomarker to identify which small (≤ 2cm) testicular masses are malignant and aid in clinical decision-making to offer surgery or surveillance. We propose a retrospective exploration of banked serum, plasma and semen specimens of men with small testis masses and a prospective biomarker-based intervention trial to validate miR-371a-3p performance.
Take an enhanced chemotherapy regimen for aggressive germ cell tumors
GETUG-13 study has prospectively confirmed poor outcomes in advanced germ cell tumors (GCT) patients with unfavorable decrease of tumor markers after 1 cycle of BEP chemotherapy. There is an unmet medical need to improve outcomes in this subset of patients, however the dose-dense regimen proposed in the above-mentioned trial cannot be implemented in routine clinical practice. T-BEP regimen may have advantage over the traditional BEP regimen as first-line therapy for poor-risk GCT Treatment escalation with T-BEP regimen may be an effective and tolerable therapeutic option for advanced GCT patients with unfavorable tumor markers decline.
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