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Testicular cancer usually occurs under the age of 35 and rarely before puberty. It is divided into two main categories, depending on the exact type of cell that causes the cancer. Seminomas (occur in about 50% of cases) and non-seminomatous tumors.
Testicular cancer is curable in over 95% of the cases, if the cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage. But even if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, there is still a high chance of a cure, and even much higher compared to other types of cancer.
Factors that we know that increase the chance of developing testicular cancer are:
In most of the cases, a palpable hard consistency node is observed on the testicle, which is usually painless. Back or abdominal pain, weight loss or shortness of breath could be present when the testicular cancer is spread to other parts of the body.
The diagnosis is given with a clinical examination. The doctor will palpate the testicles to determine if there is any hardness. Then he will do an ultrasound (to see if the tumor is solid or cystic) and a blood test for cancer markers (it will help the diagnosis if one of them is increased). However, testicular cancer can be present, even if the cancer markers are at normal levels. Thus, a negative result does not rule out cancer.
Surgical removal of the affected testicle (orchiectomy) is recommended in all of the cases and can be curative if the cancer is in an early stage. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy may also be given. If the cancer is spread, it may also be necessary to have another surgery (after radiotherapy or chemotherapy) to remove any cancerous masses that have remained in the abdomen.
The removal of one of the testicles (and as long as the other is normal) does not affect sex life or fertility. Fertility may be affected after chemotherapy or radiation, so sperm freezing is needed. However, in many patients fertility returns to normal one year after of chemo-radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy is the administration of anti-cancer drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them from multiplying. The duration and the type of the treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer (which is given after the biopsy). Radiation targets cancer cells and destroys them.
After a successful treatment, a yearly check-up is needed for several years to make sure that there is no recurrence. This may include scrotum ultrasound, cancer markers and chest X-ray or CT scan.
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