April is “Testicular Cancer Awareness Month” and one physician stands out for his leading edge treatment.

By IU Health Senior Journalist T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org

A quick search brings up dozens of articles focusing on IU Health’s Dr. Lawrence Einhorn. His name has become widely known among male patients, their wives, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers as they begin researching a diagnosis of testicular cancer. Hometown oncologists who refer their patients to IU Health also know his name.

They come from the east coast, west coast, southern states and northern parts. They come from around the globe.

Dr. Einhorn is known for his successful treatment of testicular cancer – germ cell tumors – using a mix of high dose chemotherapies and peripheral stem cell transplant.

Online support groups share success stories of his treatment method.

Testicular cancer occurs in the testicles (testes), located in the scrotum. It is rare but the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 35.

Symptoms may include a lump in the testicle, a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, dull ache in the abdomen or groin, and back pain. Doctors recommend regular self-examinations for early detection.

Treatment for testicular cancer varies depending on the stage of diagnosis. It may involve surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and in some cases surveillance with regular CT scans.

Many patients who travel to Indianapolis and IU Health’s Simon Cancer Center have undergone initial diagnosis and treatment at hospitals closer to their home.

“When the testicular cancer morphed into mixed germ cell tumors, my oncologist recommended I see his mentor, Dr. Lawrence Einhorn at IU Health,” said one 38-year-old patient from Arlington, VA.

“The minute I met Dr. Einhorn I knew I was in good hands. He’s full of energy. Even as busy as he is he came in one weekend before a football game and talked football with me for about 10 minutes,” said the patient.

Dr. Einhorn grew up in Dayton, Ohio. In high school, Dr. Einhorn joined his father – a family practitioner – on rounds at a local hospital. He left Ohio to study in Illinois at Northwestern University, but soon transferred to Indiana University, where he met the woman who would become his wife, Claudette Phillips.

After attending medical school at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Dr. Einhorn returned to IU for his internship and residency. He initially planned to return to his Ohio home to practice with his father.

An internship, introduced Dr. Einhorn to the area of hematology/oncology and he continued on that path. After residency, he moved to Texas to complete a fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. It was there that Dr. Einhorn learned about testis cancer, when a third-year fellow was diagnosed.

He joined the faculty of Indiana University in 1973. A year later he was involved in studies of chemotherapy and testicular cancer. Years later he became known for the advances treating germ cell tumors.

“When I didn’t know what to do, where else to go, we started researching and we learned about Dr. Einhorn. We got in the car and drove to Indianapolis,” said a patient from Virginia.

Another patient from Canada said: “I literally emailed Dr. Einhorn and within15 minutes he responded. That speaks volumes about his fantastic care and knowledge. From the onset, I felt confident that I was in the best care.”

One patient referred to Dr. Einhorn as “The GOAT” when it comes to testicular cancer care. The 24-year-old was so impressed with Dr. Einhorn’s expertise and bedside manner that he decided to pursue a career in the medical field.

“They just don’t make many physicians like Dr. Einhorn and if I have to have testicular cancer, I’m glad I have someone like him on my team.”