Testicular Cancer

Testicular Cancer General Information

Testicular Cancer is a malignant tumor that affects the testicles. These are male glands located in the scrotum – a bag of skin situated under the penis. The testicles are the glands responsible for the production of sperm and testosterone.

This type of cancer is relatively common; it has been noted that a man’s risk of developing a testicular malignant tumor is of 0.4%, and the highest incidence rate is in males with ages between 15 and 35. Also, it is more common in white men than in men of any other race. However, with the current treatments, it also has a very high cure rate – over 90% of the cases are completely cured, with a cure rate of 100% if the cancer did not spread beyond the testicles. Even in the most complex cases, where the malignant cells have spread widely in the organism, chemotherapy typically yields a cure rate of over 85%.

Not all lumps that may appear on the testicles are tumors; they may be the result of several other affections, such as Epididymal cysts. Also, just a small percentage of the diagnosed tumors are malignant. However, it is recommended that regular examination is performed, since the chances to cure Testicular Cancer are considerably improved if the affection is detected in its early stages, and also the risk for complications is greatly reduced.

Testicular Cancer Symptoms

Generally, Testicular Cancer can be detected in its early stages, most commonly by self-examination. It is advised that men should check their testicles regularly for any abnormal features, by gently feeling the testicles through the scrotum, after a hot bath or shower (when the scrotum is looser).

As the most common symptom caused by Testicular Cancer, the patient will detect a lump on one of his testicles, or a hardening of the testicle. While normally the testicles are smooth to touch, enlarged blood vessels may cause the appearance of “ridges” in the texture of the glands. Tumors may be felt as pea-shaped lumps, or in more severe cases, the entire testicle may be hard and several bumps may be present. The affected testicle may be abnormally sensitive, and there may be an accumulation of fluid in the patient’s scrotum. Also, the patient may experience sexual withdrawal, along with a loss of sexual activity. In some cases, blood may appear in the patient’s semen. The affected testicle may drastically enlarge, becoming up to three times its original size; on the other hand, due to the tumor taking up most of the scrotum blood supply, the other testicle may shrink significantly. The patient may feel a general weakness and tiredness, and a dull ache may be present in the patient’s lower abdomen and groin regions.

Any lumps that are discovered by palpation are inspected through an ultrasound scan. This will allow the examining health care specialist to determine the exact size and location of the lump, as well as some of its characteristics. CT scans are employed in the case of confirmed malignant cells, in order to assess the extent of the Testicular Cancer – especially to discover metastases.

Testicular Cancer Treatment

The first option of treatment in the case of Testicular Cancer is surgery. The specialized health care professionals remove the testicle through a procedure called orchiectomy – extraction of the affected testicle through an incision in the groin. In some cases, it may also be required that the patient’s groin lymph nodes are also removed, through a procedure called retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. This may be done at the same time as the extraction of the testicle, or at a later date. Typically there are no complications to surgery; however in rare cases pain, bleeding and / or infection may occur. Also, in some cases the patient’s regional nerves may be affected, which may lead to several complications. Follow up examinations are typically set up after surgery, to determine whether the cancer was completely removed from the patient’s system. CT scans, blood tests and other procedures may be employed to determine if there are any traces of malignant cells in the patient’s organism.

Radiation therapy is an option for patients affected by Testicular Cancer, especially in cases where the cancer is of the seminoma type. This treatment relies on high-powered beams of energy that are aimed at the malignant cells and destroy them – however there are several side effects to this therapy, such as fatigue, irritation and redness of the skin, especially in the areas that are more exposed to radiation, and in some cases infertility may occur – however it has been noted that patients may regain their fertility after completely healing. In other cases of Testicular Cancer, chemotherapy may be employed to destroy malignant cells that have migrated from the original tumor throughout the body. Chemotherapy is a procedure that relies on drugs to kill these cells, and in many cases it is used after surgery to ensure there are no cancerous cells left in the patient’s organism. However, chemotherapy may also cause a number of side effects, depending on the drugs used, but most commonly the patients may experience nausea and fatigue, hair loss, an increase in the risk of infection and infertility.

A newer procedure that may be employed in treating severe cases of Testicular Cancer is stem cell transplant, coupled with intense chemotherapy. The patient is administered certain medications that cause the stem cells to enter the blood stream, from where they are collected and stored away, frozen. Then the patient undergoes intense chemotherapy, a procedure that kills the patient’s bone marrow cells; once the cancer has been cured, the patient’s stem cells are then inserted back in the patient’s system. Advanced stages of Testicular Cancer or recurrences of the cancer may be treated differently, depending largely on the specifics of the case. In such situations, your specialized health care professional will present you the options that are available and will make the necessary recommendations. Experimental therapies may be employed, however it should be noted that these do not guarantee a cure, and the side effects are not always known. It is best that you discuss with your personal health care provider all the possibilities and risks that may be involved, before deciding on a treatment.