Nonseminomas are less sensitive to radiation, so men with this type of cancer usually do not undergo radiation. Radiation therapy affects normal as well as cancerous cells. The side effects of radiation therapy depend mainly on the treatment dose. Common side effects include fatigue, skin changes at the site where the treatment is given, loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Radiation therapy interferes with sperm production, but most patients regain their fertility within a matter of months.
Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body.
Chemotherapy is given to destroy cancerous cells that may remain in the body after surgery. The use of anticancer drugs following surgery is known as adjuvant therapy. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning that drugs travel through the blood stream and affect normal as well as cancerous cells all over the body. The side effects depend largely on the specific drugs and the dose. Other common side effects are dizziness, numbness, loss of reflexes, or difficulty hearing.