Chemotherapy is the treatment modality that employs drugs to
kill cancer cells. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel
through the body in order to kill cancer cells. The side effects
of chemotherapy come from the fact that the drugs destroy normal
cells, as well. Chemotherapy for testicular cancer usually
involves some combination of bleomycin , etoposide , cisplatin ,
ifosamide, and carboplatin . For some tumors, very high-dose
chemotherapy (sufficient to eradicate bone marrow cells) is
given, followed by stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy is usually
given by vein, but some forms can be given by mouth as well.
Your oncologist will tell you how many cycles or courses of
chemotherapy are best for you. Usually there are between 3-4
cycles of chemotherapy given when the chemotherapy is the only
form of treatment. The side effects and amount of time required
in the doctor’s office depend on the type of chemotherapy you
receive, as well as how many cycles you receive and how often.
The most common chemotherap