Male reproductive organs, called testicles or testes, reside within a sac of skin known as the scrotum. Testicles have two main functions, which are to make male hormone testosterone and to make sperm.
Testicular cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the testicles. It occurs when cells in one or both testicles start growing abnormally. It is a rare type of cancer that can occur at any age. Still, it mostly affects males between the ages of 15 and 45.
Causes of Testicular Cancer
- Genetic syndromes like Klinefelter’s syndrome
- Cryptorchidism or undescended testicles
- Family history
- HIV infection
Symptoms of Testicular Cancer
- Lump or enlargement in the testicles
- An ache in the abdomen or groin region
- Pain or discomfort in the testicles
- Back pain
- Feeling of numbness
- Swelling in one or both legs
Prevention of Testicular Cancer
There is no known way to prevent testicular cancer, but it is essential to do a monthly self-exam. During the self-exam, individuals should look for lumps that can be pea-sized or larger and are often painless.
Diagnosis of Testicular Cancer
- Ultrasound – In this, sound waves are used to create an image of the scrotum and testicles. It can help the doctor determine the nature of lumps and see whether they are solid or fluid-filled. It also helps them identify if the nodes are inside or outside the testicle.
- Blood tests – They help the doctor determine the levels of tumor markers in the blood. These might occur normally in the blood, but if they are abnormally high, it might indicate cancer.
- CT scan – In this, a series of X-rays of your abdomen, chest, and pelvis are taken to look for signs of metastasizes of cancer.
Treatment of Testicular Cancer
- Surgery – Surgery is one of the main treatments. Typically, surgeons remove all the testes along with the spermatic cord. However, in some cases where cancer has not spread across the body, they may remove only the tumor while preserving one testicle.
- Radiation – It is the use of high-energy beams that kill the cancerous cells on the testes or nearby lymph nodes. It is usually recommended if testicular cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
- Chemotherapy – It is the preferred form of treatment if cancer has spread beyond the testes. This treatment uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells. It does this either by killing the cancer cells or by preventing their further division.