Treatment for testicular cancer
Sperm banking means collecting and storing your sperm. You can then use the sperm later to have a baby through fertility treatment.
Some testicular cancer treatments can cause infertility, which means that you might not be able to get someone pregnant.
Your doctor will talk to you about the risk of infertility before you start your treatment. You can then make decisions about collecting and storing sperm before you start.
Read more about how testicular cancer and treatment can affect fertility
Sperm banking is the name for the collection and storage of semen. Semen is the fluid that contains sperm. Sperm banking is also known as sperm cryopreservation or semen storage.
Some treatments for testicular cancer can affect your fertility. Collecting sperm before treatment means you might still be able to have children in the future if you want to. The sperm is frozen and stored until you decide you want to use it.
Your doctor will talk to you about storing sperm if your treatment might affect your fertility. You need to store sperm before starting your treatment.
Most people go to a specialist fertility clinic or a clinic that is part of the hospital. There are a number of steps to sperm banking. Your healthcare team will explain this to you and answer any questions you have.
Before you can bank sperm you need to have blood tests to check your general health and for infections. They include blood tests for , hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
You need to sign a consent form for sperm banking. This includes information about:
what happens to the sperm if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself or if you die
how long you want to store the sperm for
whether your partner can use the sperm to have a baby if you die
whether your sperm can be used for research or donated for use in someone else’s fertility treatment
any other conditions you want to state about how the sperm can be used
You are likely to get a lot of information, and the consent form can be detailed. Do ask questions if you are unsure of anything.
Before you start, your healthcare team will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you may have.
The guidance may change slightly, depending on where you go to provide your sample.
To get the best sample you shouldn't have sexual intercourse or masturbate for 3 or 4 days beforehand. This helps you collect the highest number of sperm.
It is quite common for people to feel embarrassed when they go to the clinic. Some people find it difficult to produce a sample. It can be a rather pressurising situation. You may find it helpful to take your partner or friend along. Or you can take things that you know will help you, such as magazines. The staff at the clinic can also give you advice on how you can prepare for giving your sample.
At the clinic a nurse will show you into a private room. You produce the sample by masturbating. You collect the sample in a sterile container provided by the clinic. The nurse will tell you who to give the container to afterwards.
The clinic staff makes sure the sample is labelled correctly. It is then frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen.
Most clinics recommend collecting at least 2 samples, and if possible 3. This depends on how quickly you need to start your cancer treatment. You need to leave at least 2 days between each collection.
You might be able to bring your sample to the clinic from home, but there are special guidelines so this may not be possible for some people. For example, you usually have to bring in the sample within 1 hour of producing it and you need to use a special condom or pot provided by the clinic.
If you are not able to provide a sperm specimen by masturbation your doctor might be able to:
remove sperm from the testicle using a needle and syringe (aspiration). You usually have a for this procedure
remove a small amount of testicular tissue and check for sperm in the sample. You have this under a
The sperm is then frozen and stored.
Your doctor will give you more information if this is a possible option for you.
The usual time you can store sperm is 10 years. You can extend this up to a maximum of 55 years but you need to complete a consent form every 10 years. Your healthcare team will explain this in more detail.
It is important to let the staff at the clinic know if you change your contact details.
Last reviewed: 06 Jan 2025
Next review due: 06 Jan 2028
Your treatment options depend on your cancer stage and type. You usually have surgery. You might also have chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
You usually have surgery. You might have chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This depends on the stage and type of your testicular cancer.
Surgery to remove the testicle is usually the first treatment for testicular cancer. Find out about surgery, and what to expect in hospital and after your operation.
Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. You might have it to lower the risk of your cancer coming back after surgery to remove a testicle. Or to treat cancer that has spread.
You have radiotherapy in a hospital radiotherapy department. You usually have it each weekday with a break at the weekend.
Getting practical and emotional support can help you cope with a diagnosis of cancer.
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