A new study, published in the journal of European Urology, has explained that a single cycle of chemotherapy was found to be as effective as the standard two chemo cycles.
The study, conducted on 246 patients with testicular cancer, has found that the “shorter, kinder and cheaper” approach reduced the risk of chemo side effects.
Researchers believe that a single cycle of chemo could significantly improve the quality of life.
In the United States, it was estimated that more than 9,500 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019, according to cancer.net. The average age of diagnosis is 33. Although rare, “testicular cancer is most commonly diagnosed in young and middle-aged men but can occur at any age.”
Testicular cancer affects relatively young people and the side effects of chemo could last long, affecting their quality of life.
The study, conducted by the researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, was trying to find ways to reduce chemo side effects.
The participants, who were believed to be at risk of the cancer recurrence, were given just a single course of chemotherapy. After two years, the researchers found that the cancer had recurred in only 1.3 percent of men, which is almost the same as those who undergo the standard two cycles of chemo.
Study author Prof. Robert Huddart from the Institute of Cancer Research said, “Reducing the overall dose of chemotherapy could spare young men who have their whole lives ahead of them from long-term side-effects, and also means they will need fewer hospital visits for their treatment.”
“This new trial is already changing clinical practice on a global scale,” he added.
It is a well-known fact that chemotherapy can affect your immune system, increasing the risk of infections and damaging organs, including the kidneys, and affecting fertility.
Another author Prof. Emma Hall from the Institute of Cancer Research said, “Our study has found strong evidence to suggest that testicular cancer chemotherapy can be safely reduced from two cycles to just one – making their treatment shorter, kinder and cheaper.”
Martin Ledwick from Cancer Research UK said, “Providing men with a kinder treatment option linked to fewer side-effects could make a huge difference to their quality of life.”
“As more and more people survive cancer, it’s essential to carry out studies like this, which look at how to improve things for people living with – and after – the disease,” Ledwick added. The original article was published online on BBC.com.
