Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men ages 15 to 35, with about 9,000 new cases in the U.S. each year. Most cases are cured with surgery, sometimes followed by chemotherapy or radiation. Treatment has been so successful that research now focuses on reducing long-term side effects and finding gentler approaches for low-risk disease.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing whether men with early-stage disease can avoid chemotherapy or radiation by using surveillance or shorter treatment courses. For advanced disease, studies are examining targeted drugs that might work alongside or replace cisplatin-based chemotherapy, which can cause hearing loss, kidney damage, and nerve problems. Researchers are also studying biomarkers that predict which tumors will respond to treatment.
De-escalation trials
Studies are testing whether men with stage I seminoma can skip radiation entirely and use surveillance instead. Other trials are shortening chemotherapy courses for men with good-prognosis disease to reduce long-term side effects.
Targeted therapies
Researchers are testing checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab for men whose cancer returns after chemotherapy. Trials are also examining drugs that target specific mutations found in germ cell tumors.
Fertility preservation
Studies are looking at whether banking sperm before treatment improves long-term fertility outcomes. Research is also examining hormonal changes after treatment and their impact on quality of life.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cancer stage, tumor type (seminoma or nonseminoma), whether cancer has spread, and results of tumor marker blood tests like AFP and HCG.
What types of trials are currently open
- Surveillance trials — Testing whether men with early-stage testicular cancer can be monitored closely instead of receiving chemotherapy or radiation after surgery.
- De-escalation trials — Studying shorter or lower-dose chemotherapy regimens to reduce side effects while maintaining cure rates.
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing checkpoint inhibitors and other targeted drugs for advanced or relapsed testicular cancer.
- Survivorship studies — Following men long-term to understand and prevent side effects like heart disease, hearing loss, and infertility after treatment.
- Biomarker studies — Looking for blood tests or tumor features that predict which men need more or less aggressive treatment.
Recently added Testicular Cancer trials
Receive either surgery or chemotherapy for advanced testicular cancer
The goal of this prospective observational study is to learn about the short- and long-term effects of treating men over the age of 18 with good prognosis metastatic testicular cancer with either primary retropertioneal lymph node dissection, RPLND, (for low-stage metastastic seminoma) or three doses of chemotherapy for metastastic seminoma or nonseminoma. The main question it aims to answer is: Does primary RPLND lower the risk of side-effects compared to receiving chemotherapy?
Donate blood samples to identify markers predicting cancer response
This is a study exploring measurable markers in the blood of patients with testicular tumors. The investigators will focus on the importance of measuring and analyzing these markers for their prognostic value and predictive response to treatment.
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