TESTICULAR CANCER

Getting Smart About Testicular Cancer

A number of non-cancerous conditions, such as testicular injury, can produce symptoms similar to those of testicular cancer. Inflammation of the testicle (orchitis) caused by viral or bacterial infections can result in painful swelling. Although cancer of any kind is a frightening diagnosis, testicular cancer is highly treatable and usually curable.

The good news is that if you are a man worried about the possibility of having testicular cancer, the odds are in your favor that you do not. The best way to fight this kind of cancer or keep from worrying is to ask a physician about any changes in your testicles, such as one appearing much larger or harder than the other.

While the exact causes of testicular cancer are not known, the cancer generally occurs when healthy cells of the testicle become altered. Testicular cells usually multiply in a systematic manner to keep the body functioning normally. However, abnormalities in some cells may abruptly cause uncontrollable multiplication, resulting in a surplus of new cells in the testicle. The accumulation of new cells results in a testicular mass or lump. Almost all testicular cancers start in germ cells (testicular cells producing immature sperm).

Risk Factors for Testicular Cancer

Fortunately, testicular cancer is very rare. It typically develops in one or both testicles in young men. Having had an undescended testicle as a child is a risk factor for developing testicular cancer as an adult.

Symptoms

Most cases can be found at an early stage due to a lump on the testicle. Often the first sign of a problem, the lump can be painless but slightly uncomfortable and may cause testicular enlargement or swelling. Men with testicular cancer often report a sensation of heaviness or aching in the lower abdomen or scrotum, but some men have no symptoms at all, and their cancer is found during medical testing for other conditions. Sometimes, imaging tests or testicular biopsies done to find the cause of infertility can uncover a small testicular cancer. Whatever the symptoms, see a physician as soon as possible.

Radiation therapy is one of the most common modes of treatment for prostrate cancer, especially for cancers caused by the less aggressive seminomatous tumors. Other options include surgery and chemotherapy. A radical inguinal orchiectomy is performed to remove the cancerous testicle through the lower abdomen before the incision is closed with sutures or surgical staples. The sample is then analyzed to determine the type of cancer and the type of treatment needed. Chemotherapy is done when there are infected lymph nodes and other affected tissues. However, for severe cases, a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is preferred in order to ensure the full elimination of the cancer cells.

Advanced Urology Institute can provide more information on this type of cancer as well as treatment options for those diagnosed with the disease.