Testicular Cancer
What is Testicular Cancer?
Testicular cancer is most often found in men ages 15 to 44 years. It’s fairly rare and very treatable. With early diagnosis, testicular cancer can be cured. Men are encouraged to learn about early signs, learn how to do a testicular self-exam and talk with a health care provider if there is a suspicious lump, swelling, or pain in the testicle.
Symptoms
- A painless lump in the testicle (the most common sign)
- Swelling of the testicle (with or without pain) or a feeling of weight in the scrotum
- Pain or a dull ache in the testicle, scrotum or groin
Causes
- It may not be possible to avoid risk factors for testicular cancer. Men with the highest risk are:
- Men with a father or brother who had testicular cancer
- Men with a history of testes that don’t drop before birth (also known as undescended testes)
- If you fall into any of these categories, do a testicular self-exam each month. The self-exam may help you catch problems early, when treatment is easier.
Treatment
Testicular cancer may involve more than one cell-type. The best treatment will depend on the diagnosis and whether the disease has spread.
- Surgery is the main treatment for testicular cancer. Most often, an orchiectomy is done to remove the entire testis. Depending on the diagnosis, other options may be offered.
- Surveillance is a way to look for changes with normal check-ups. These include a physical exam, tumor marker tests, and imaging tests.
- Radiation Radiation is used to kill cancer cells on the testis or in nearby lymph nodes.
- Chemotherapy is used for cancers that spread beyond the testicles, or if tumor markers rise after surgery.
