What are the treatment options for germ cell tumour?

Germ cell tumours can develop in the testicles, ovaries, or other parts of the body. Seminoma and teratoma are examples of germ cell tumour types, and their treatment depends on tissue findings and where the tumour began.

Surgery may remove the original tumour and provide tissue for diagnosis. Chemotherapy uses medicines that travel through the bloodstream to treat cancer cells beyond the surgical area. Some people receive chemotherapy before surgery to shrink disease; others receive it after surgery or when the tumour has spread. Your team will explain how fertility, hormone function, and body image may be affected.

Ask which tumour type you have, what the scans show, and what the treatment is intended to achieve. Discuss fertility preservation before treatment if pregnancy or future parenthood matters to you, because some operations and medicines can affect reproductive function. Bring your medicine list and tell the team about other health conditions.

During care, record fever, pain, bowel or bladder changes, nausea, and any new swelling. Take medicines exactly as prescribed and check before starting supplements or non-prescription products.

Call your care team urgently for fever during chemotherapy, repeated vomiting, inability to drink, unusual bleeding, rapidly increasing swelling, or pain that is not controlled. Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, confusion, fainting, or sudden severe abdominal pain.

What type and stage of germ cell tumour do I have? Is surgery recommended first? How will chemotherapy be scheduled? Could treatment affect fertility or hormones, and what can we do beforehand? Which symptoms require urgent advice?