NEW YORK -- Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men between ages 15 and 45. When a tumor is found, the normal procedure is simply to remove it. But the way it's removed, which often leaves men infertile, can change the course of a man's life. Now it may not have to.

For 24 years, Dr. Marc Goldstein has encountered his share of suspicious testicular masses -- all requiring the same treatment.

"We didn't know if they were benign or malignant until after the testicle was removed. Now, we know that at least a quarter of the tumors that we're removing are benign," he said.

To prevent doing the severe procedure unnecessarily, Goldstein, a urologist at New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, combined two common surgical methods.

"I wondered, 'Why can't we use needles to find these tiny tumors that we're picking up now on ultrasound and then use the microscope to be able to find them and remove them and thereby not have to remove the testicle -- just remove the tumor?'" he said.

Goldstein said it makes a big difference for men who want to have children.

"We're both saving the patient's life because we're curing him of his cancer, and we're giving him the opportunity to create new life in the future," he said.

John Cregg is one of those who benefited. The tumor he had removed was benign, but he was still worried about his fertility. He says, "In terms of sperm count and the possibility that I would have lost a lot of it by losing a testicle, it was very important."

John opted for the new surgery. He now has no complications. He also has a son named Jack. "Thankfully, he looks like his mother, and he's a real joy, a blessing, and I'm happy to have him," John says.

About 3 percent of all men who have testicular tumors in one testicle will develop it in the other. If both testicles are removed, they will have no hormone production and no possibility for fertility. With the new technique, doctors can remove the malignant tumor and still preserve and treat the remaining testicle.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Hyacinth Afflick, Office Manager
Dr. Marc Goldstein's Office
(212) 746-5470
hafflick@med.cornell.edu
www.maleinfertility.org