Bringing Awareness to Testicular Cancer

Did You Know? There will be an estimated 9,560 patients diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019

The General Five Year Survival Rate for Men with Testicular Cancer is 95% 

Comparatively, testicular cancer is rare among patients diagnosed with cancer

While testicular cancer is a less common form of cancer, it occurs in a vital organ and can have critical effects on the reproductive system. A patient should seek medical attention immediately if they are experiencing any signs or symptoms of testicular cancer.    

Please use this guide as a resource for knowledge and understanding of testicular cancer including the cause, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. 

01│Cause

Cancer is a result of some form of mutation or reaction in cells that causes them to grow at a rapid rate. Typically the germ cells within the testicle are what become abnormal and cause the cancerous growths. What is not known is why these germ cells become abnormal, nor why there has been a steady increase in testicular cancer cases.  

02│Symptoms

As with many cancers you may not experience any symptoms until the cancer has grown to significant size or has reached other parts of the body. Most often a patient will experience the following as the first signs of testicular cancer:

• A lump or enlargement in either testicle
• A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
• A dull ache in the abdomen or groin
• A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
• Pain or discomfort in a testicle
• Back pain

 There are some factors that can increase a patients risk for developing testicular cancer like:

• Abnormal testicular development
• Family history
• Age
• Race

03│Diagnosis

Many patients discover the growths themselves, or during their annual exam it is important to have testing to confirm the growth is cancer. Some testing that can be conducted are:

• Ultrasound
• Blood Tests
• MRI
• CT Scan
• PET Scan
• Bone Scan

04│Treatment

Testicular cancer is highly treatable, but options are dependent on the type and stage of the cancer. Personal factors like age, overall health, and lifestyle preference can also be determining factors. Some treatments include:

• Surgery
• Radiation treatments
• Chemotherapy

To learn more about different types of cancer, please visit: https://www.cancer.org

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References

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/testicular-cancer.html 

https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/testis.html