In general, testicular cancers respond well to chemotherapy, but not all cancers are cured. Even though higher doses of chemotherapy might be more effective, they are not given because they could severely damage the bone marrow, which is where new blood cells are formed. This could lead to life-threatening infections, bleeding, and other problems because of low blood cell counts.

A stem cell transplant allows doctors to use higher doses of chemotherapy. Blood-forming stem cells are collected from the bloodstream in the weeks before treatment using a special machine. In the past the stem cells were taken from the bone marrow, but this is done less often now. These stem cells are frozen, while the patient receives high-dose chemotherapy. After treatment is finished, the patient gets a transplant of blood-forming stem cells. This type of transplant does not involve surgery -- it is actually much like a blood transfusion. The stem cells settle in the bone marrow and start making new blood cells over the next few weeks.

Current studies are exploring whether high-dose chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant may be valuable in treating some patients with advanced germ cell cancers as part of their first treatment. It is mostly used right now for testicular cancer that has come back after chemotherapy.

This is a complex and intense treatment. It should be done at a hospital where the staff has experience with the procedure and with managing the recovery phase. Stem cell transplants can be very expensive and often require a lengthy hospital stay. It is important to find out what your insurer will cover before deciding on a transplant to get an idea of what you might have to pay.

For more information on stem cell transplants see the American Cancer Society document, Bone Marrow and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplants.

Last Medical Review: 08/03/2009
Last Revised: 08/03/2009