Andrew Kettner's Primary Mediastinal (PMNSGCT) Testicular Cancer Journey

In this moving episode of It Takes Balls, Andrew Kettner shares his powerful story of battling primary mediastinal non-seminomatous germ cell cancer (PMNSGCT), a rare and aggressive form of testicular cancer that showed up not in his testicles, but in his chest.

Andrew opens up about the subtle symptoms he first noticed: shortness of breath, fatigue, and elevated heart rate - symptoms he initially wrote off as “just getting older.” But after a gut instinct sent him to the ER, a chest X-ray revealed a massive tumor near his heart. Thanks to the quick thinking of oncologist Dr. Sean Kern, who recognized elevated tumor markers, Andrew was spared unnecessary surgery and given a critical diagnosis: testicular cancer.

With a prognosis of only 40–50% survival at two years, Andrew began a grueling VIP chemotherapy regimen, complicated by a blood clot and extreme side effects including weight loss and neuropathy. He credits his survival not only to expert care at Walter Reed and Indiana University Health but also to the unshakable support of his wife, children, and medical team.

The episode also explores what survivorship looks like as a military leader and father. Andrew reflects on the emotional toll of treatment, the way it reshaped his priorities, and how he’s teaching his sons to check themselves monthly for early signs of testicular cancer. Now with no evidence of disease, he’s using his experience to raise awareness within the military community, where he believes testicular cancer is underrecognized.

If you're navigating an advanced testicular cancer diagnosis, are a member of the armed forces, or simply want to hear an honest, grounded survivor story, this episode is packed with insight, emotion, and inspiration from someone who faced long odds.

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Theme song: No Time Like Now - Tom Willner www.tomwillner.com