Testicular cancer is a cancer that begins in the testicles, the male organs that are responsible for producing sex hormones and sperm for reproduction. The main symptoms for testicular cancer are a lump in one of your testicles that may cause pain or discomfort, and swelling or tenderness in the breasts from testosterone imbalance. If you experience any of these symptoms, your doctor will likely test you for testicular cancer. The sooner you receive a diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin and the more likely that treatment will be successful.
Tests for Testicular Cancer
To determine whether a discovered lump is testicular cancer, your doctor will likely recommend the following tests:
- Ultrasound: This type of testing uses sound waves to create an image of the scrotum and testicles. Ultrasounds help your doctor determine if the lumps in the testicles are solid or fluid-filled and if they are located inside or outside of the testicle.
- Blood test: Tumor markers are substances that are normally present in your blood that are elevated in certain situations, such as testicular cancer. Your doctor will probably order blood tests to check the levels of tumor markers in your blood. Though having high levels of tumor markers doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer, it will help your doctor determine a diagnosis.
- Radical inguinal orchiectomy: If your doctor has determined that the lump on your testicle may be cancerous, surgery to remove the testicle will likely be recommended. After it is removed, your testicle will be analyzed to determine if the lump is cancerous and to decide what treatment steps to take.
Types of Testicular Cancer
The removed testicle will be analyzed first to determine the type of testicular cancer you have. This information will guide your prognosis and your treatment options. Over 90% of testicular tumors are germ cell tumors, which are divided into two types:
- Seminoma: In general, seminoma tumors tend to be less aggressive and more slow-growing than nonseminoma tumors. Although these types of tumors can occur in men of all ages, older men with testicular cancer are more likely to have a seminoma tumor.
- Non-seminoma: Younger men and children with testicular cancer are more likely to have nonseminoma tumors. This type of tumor tends to grow and spread more rapidly.
Staging of Testicular Cancer
After the diagnosis and type of cancer are determined, the next step is to assign a stage to your cancer. The stage will depend on how much your cancer has spread. To determine if the cancer has spread outside of the testicle, a computerized tomography (CT) scan will probably be recommended, as well as more blood tests. The stages for testicular cancer include:
- Stage I: The cancer is limited to the testicle.
- Stage II: The cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the abdomen.
- Stage III: The cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Testicular cancer most commonly spreads to the lungs and liver.
