Discharged.. I'm Going Home! - Orchiectomy Surgery
5An orchiectomy is a surgical procedure to remove one or both testicles. Providers use this procedure to treat and prevent testicular cancer as well as treat male breast cancer and prostate cancer. Transgender women may choose to have an orchiectomy when transitioning from male to female. Orchiectomies usually don’t require an overnight hospital stay.
Treat cancer: Orchiectomy is the initial diagnostic and treatment step for testicular cancer. This removes the primary cancer, and also allows the pathologist to see tissue for diagnosis. It’s also used as a treatment for male breast cancer and prostate cancer. Androgens (male hormones like testosterone) encourage some cancer cells to grow. Without the testes, hormone levels drop. An orchiectomy shrinks tumors by cutting off the male hormones that help them grow.