ABC News correspondent Will Reeve, the son of Superman actor Christopher Reeve, has revealed that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
“I was raised to share one’s struggles if, in doing so, that might help others,” Reeve, 34, told People.
After surgery and chemotherapy, he is currently cancer-free.
Not long after getting married, Reeves discovered a lump in his left testicle, and an ultrasound confirmed it was testicular cancer.
Reeves shared that he had his affected testicle removed in a surgery called an orchiectomy, which led to a diagnosis of embryonal carcinoma — an aggressive testicular cancer common in younger to middle-aged adults.
To stop the cancer from spreading, he had a second surgery to clear out dozens of lymph nodes through a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.
He also recounted his month of chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, detailing rough recovery side effects like bone pain, ringing ears, night sweats, blood clots and headaches.
“I want folks to know that this is a thing that can happen,” Reeves told ABC News. “It’s shocking. It’s weird It’s slightly awkward to talk about just because of what we’re really discussing here, but that you end up okay, almost always.”
How is testicular cancer diagnosed?
To diagnose testicular cancer, doctors perform a physical exam, imaging scans, blood tests and a biopsy. After confirming the cancer, they test the cells to identify the specific type, which guides the treatment plan.
The two main types of testicular cancer are:
- Seminoma: This type tends to develop in older adults.
- Nonseminoma: This group includes choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma and yolk sac tumor. It typically affects younger individuals and grows and spreads faster than seminoma.
Who is at risk for testicular cancer?
While any male can develop testicular cancer, several risk factors can increase this likelihood.
Age plays a major role, as most cases affect teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 44, with about half of all diagnoses occurring in men in their 20s and 30s.
Biological and medical history are also critical.
Having an undescended testicle — known as cryptorchidism — keeps the risk elevated even after corrective surgery. A family history of the disease, a prior history of testicular cancer in one testicle and certain medical conditions such as an HIV infection or Klinefelter Syndrome further raise the risk.
Additionally, white men face a notably higher chance of developing testicular cancer compared to Black, Asian or Hispanic men.
How deadly is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is rarely fatal and exceptionally treatable, boasting an overall five-year survival rate of about 95%, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Because more than 95% of people are cured, it stands as one of the most manageable types of cancer to overcome.
Detecting the disease early — often by noticing a painless lump right away — makes the treatment process much simpler and significantly more successful.
What is the treatment for testicular cancer?
Surgery is the primary treatment for testicular cancer.
Doctors typically perform an orchiectomy to remove the affected testicle. During this procedure, they seal blood vessels and lymph tissue to stop cancer from spreading. Patients with nonseminoma testicular cancers may also need a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, which is a surgery to remove nearby lymph nodes.
Patients often need extra treatments after surgery, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy uses high-dose X-rays to stop the tumor from coming back. Doctors usually use this treatment only for seminomas. Chemotherapy uses intravenous drugs that travel through the bloodstream to destroy cancer cells everywhere in the body, lower the chance of the cancer returning or treat cancer that has spread.
What can we do to prevent testicular cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, most cases of testicular cancer cannot be stopped before they start.
Many men who get the disease do not have any known warning signs. Additionally, the risk factors that doctors do recognize, such as a family history of the disease or testicles that failed to descend properly, are things a person cannot change.
However, choosing healthy habits, like avoiding smoking, vaping and alcohol, may help reduce overall risks, and doing monthly self-exams and seeing a doctor regularly can catch potential problems early.
