Chemotherapy could save your life if you are diagnosed with testicular cancer but it could also lead to long-term side effects, a new study suggests.

The study, which was published in the latest online Journal of the National Cancer Institute, looked at 1409 Norwegian men who were treated for testicular cancer between 1980 and 1994 and took part in a follow-up study between 1998 and 2002.

They found that those who received chemotherapy were at significantly increased risk of suffering a range of severe side effects.

Ice cream that could combat negative side effects of chemotherapy was today revealed by diary giant Fonterra and Auckland University.

The medicinal ice cream, known as ReCharge, has started phase 2 clinical trials in New Zealand to assess its effectives against chemotherapy induced diarrhoea (CID) and anaemia.

It could also reduce weight loss and damage to the immune system during chemo treatement.

Australian scientists are using nano cells derived from bacteria to combat cancer in a so-called “Trojan horse” therapy that may enable direct targeting of cancer cells with chemotherapy, rather than attacking both cancer and healthy cells.

A two-pronged approach sees the first nano cell penetrate and disarm the cancer cell, when a second nano cell then kills it with chemo drugs, reports Reuters.