Dr. Joseph Shirk - Testicular Cancer Staging, Cell Types, and Vocabulary

Dr. Joseph Shirk - Testicular Cancer Staging, Cell Types, and Vocabulary

Welcome to Episode 55 of It Takes Balls

In this episode of It Takes Balls, Dr. Joseph Shirk, Chief of Urology at the Greater Los Angeles VA Health System and Assistant Professor at UCLA, demystifies the complexities of testicular cancer staging, terminology, and treatment options.

Dr. Shirk breaks down the stages of testicular cancer—from the nuances of Stage 0 to the absence of Stage 4—and explains the significance of tumor markers and cell types like seminomas and non-seminomas. The discussion also delves into critical terms patients might encounter, such as “adjuvant chemotherapy,” “clear margins,” and “lymphovascular invasion,” making sense of the medical jargon often found in pathology reports.

The episode is packed with practical advice, including why timely surgery is crucial, what to expect from treatment decisions, and how advancements in minimally invasive procedures like robotic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection are transforming care. Dr. Shirk also touches on the emotional side of the journey, reminding listeners that with prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, testicular cancer is one of the most treatable cancers.

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