LINTHICUM, Md., May 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the American Urological Association (AUA), a leading global urology association, released a new clinical guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of early stage testicular cancer.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer among men ages 20 to 40. Although it is a less common form of cancer, about 9,600 men in the US will be told this year they have the disease. Men who were born with cryptorchidism (undescended testicle) have a greater chance of being diagnosed with testicular cancer, as are men with a family history or men with a personal history of testis cancer. The good news is testicular cancer is also one of the most treatable cancers. Self-examination of the testes is important for early detection. When caught early, the cure rate is close to 100 percent.

"There are more than 250,000 men in the U.S. who are testicular cancer survivors," said Andrew Stephenson, MD, chair of the guideline development panel and urologist at Rush University. "This new guideline is fully aligned to the latest science and provides physicians with a relevant blueprint to diagnosing, staging and treating this disease so as to maintain its high cure rate."

Once diagnosed, treatment will depend on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the age, overall health and personal preferences of the patient, which is why the AUA guideline panel strongly suggests physicians and patients engage in a shared decision-making process to select the best care option for each individual patient.

The new clinical guideline makes 45 recommendations in total. Completing a scrotal ultrasound and obtaining serum tumor markers as part of initial diagnosis are among the recommendations made. A radical, inguinal orchiectomy to remove and treat the cancer is also recommended for all men with the disease, however, testis-sparing surgery is not recommended in men with a normal contralateral testis. The guideline panel suggests the option for sperm banking be discussed prior to orchiectomy. For those with stage 2 disease, the guideline recommends retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, chemotherapy and/or active surveillance be offered, post-orchiectomy.

The guideline was developed by a panel with specific expertise in the guideline subject. It was then distributed to peer reviewers of varying backgrounds as part of the AUA's extensive peer review process before being finally approved by the AUA Board of Directors. The full guideline is available online at www.auanet.org/TesticularCancer

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 22,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

SOURCE American Urological Association