Four Diagnoses in Three Years: Scott Nockels’ Testicular Cancer Journey

Scott Nockels, a four-time testicular cancer survivor, shares his incredible journey from his first diagnosis at 27 to multiple recurrences and treatments, including surgery and chemotherapy.

Scott Nockels was exposed to cancer at young age due to his mom having stage two breast cancer. Seeing her go through chemo, work, and take care of her family has always been an inspiration to him.

Scott is a four-time cancer survivor. His journey began in 2019. He had been experiencing pain for a couple of months, especially when drinking alcohol. Concerned, he went to his primary care doctor to determine what was going on. His doctor diagnosed an infection in one of his testicles and prescribed a two-week course of antibiotics. The day after completing the medication, Scott woke up with the worst pain imaginable, and his kidneys felt like they were on fire.

On June 9, 2019, Scott was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It was one of the most shocking moments of his life, especially since he was only 27 at the time. All he could focus on was the fear of the unknown and what life would be like after the diagnosis. Everything happened very quickly. He was in surgery the following day to remove the tumor. For three months, he remained in remission, but unfortunately, it didn’t last long.

Scott was diagnosed with cancer again, placing him in the 0.05% of men whose cancer recurs within two years. He could hardly believe it. He felt anger and frustration, and at times he wanted to give up. He spiraled into a period of depression. The tumor was not very advanced, so he opted for surgery to remove it and try to live as normally as possible. The surgery was successful, but just three months later, the cancer returned.

At that time, he chose to have a radical orchiectomy to give himself the best chance for remission. When the cancer returned a third time, he felt even angrier than before and like he could not catch a break. However, he also knew that giving up was not an option. As before, the surgery was successful, and he remained in remission for three years.

In June 2022, he was devastated to learn that not only had the cancer returned, but it had now metastasized to his lymph nodes, and he also had a tumor in the area behind his stomach. Initially, the tumor measured 1.9 cm, which did not require chemotherapy. Over the next two months, he continued to work under the immense stress of his job while doing his best to live as normally as possible.

On July 20, 2022, Scott underwent another surgery (Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection, or RPLND) to remove the tumor and scrape his lymph nodes. He was initially told the surgery went well and that chemotherapy was still not necessary. However, during the procedure, doctors discovered that the tumor was no longer singular, and biopsies of all the masses were sent to the lab. Later, he learned that not only had his biopsy been misread, but the type of cancer cells attacking his body was more serious than initially thought. Due to the uncertainty, a sample was sent to the Mayo Clinic. It was ultimately determined that, while he did not have the more aggressive cancer cells, the total size of his tumors meant he would require chemotherapy.

Scott went through three cycles of chemotherapy, which included the drugs cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin. He was scared, and the fears of what he would look like and who he would be after chemo were overwhelming. He wondered: How long before this would kill him? Would he still be the same person he was before all of this? He had so many terrifying thoughts. One of the hardest parts was coming to terms with, ‘Why me? Why a fourth time?’ It was difficult, but he knew he could no longer control his fate and that everything now depended on the strength of his mind and body.

Shortly after starting his first round of chemotherapy, he developed a cyst on the back of his neck that quickly became infected. This complication sent him back to the hospital for several days. Scott felt like he couldn’t win, but he knew he had to stay strong in order to fight. The mental challenges that cancer patients face are a never-ending battle, even in remission. He is grateful to stand here today, again in remission, and stronger than ever. Without maintaining a positive outlook, relying on his support system, and benefiting from the research done to find a cure for cancer, he doesn’t believe he would be here today.

He believes we can beat this disease, whether through cancer research or by prioritizing mental health. Scott is grateful to all the wonderful doctors and people who supported him through his journey and for taking the time to listen to his story.