Therefore, an operation to remove just one testicle does not make a patient impotent and seldom interferes with fertility . Men can also have an artificial testicle, called a prosthesis , placed in the scrotum. The implant has the weight and feel of a normal testicle. Surgery to remove the lymph nodes does not change a man's ability to have an erection or an orgasm, but the operation can cause sterility because it interferes with ejaculation . Patients should talk with the doctor about the possibility of removing the lymph nodes using a special surgical technique that may protect the ability to ejaculate.
Radiation therapy affects both normal and cancerous cells, but normal cells are able to recover.
Having treatments 5 days a week for several weeks spreads out the total dose of radiation and gives the patient weekend rest breaks. Nevertheless, the body must work very hard during radiation therapy to repair the tissues injured by the treatment. Patients may feel unusually tired, and they should try to rest as much as possible. Radiation therapy does not change the ability to have sex. Radiation therapy does, however, interfere with sperm production.