In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses are made each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of developing the disease is roughly 1 in 250 (four tenths of one percent). Although it is most common among men aged 15-40 years, it has three peaks: infancy, ages 25-40 years, and age 60.



Because it is curable (stage I can have a success rate of 95 percent) when detected early, experts recommend regular monthly testicular self examinations after taking a hot shower or bathing, when the scrotum is looser. Blood tests are used by your doctor to recognize and measure tumor markers that are specific to this desease.

CAUSE: Currently, there is no known method for preventing the disease because there is no known cause for the disease.

TYPE: Although testicular cancer can develop from any cell type found in the testicles, more than 95% of testicular cancers are germ cell tumors. The main forms of testicular germ cell tumors are seminomas and non-seminomas.

SYMPTOMS: Usually include one or more of the following: A lump in one testes or a hardening of one of the testicles. The testicle should normally feel smooth to the touch. Symptoms of late-stage cancer of the testicles may include: Dull pain in the lower back and abdomen, A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum, Swelling or tenderness of the breasts, Unexplained fatigue or a general feeling of not being well. However each person may experience symptoms differently. The National Cancer Institute suggests that a man see a physician if any of the above symptoms lasts 2 weeks or longer.

RISKS: Risk factors for having testicular cancer include Klinefelter's syndrome. This is a disorder in which a man has an extra X chromosome. This type of cancer is more common among white men than men of african descent. Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian males have a risk that is higher than black males but lower than white.

There are a number of factors that increase the odds for developing the disease. A major risk factor is cryptorchidism (undescended testicles). Surgery earlier in life reduces risk of developing the disease among males with undescended testes.

According to an article recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, surgery before the age of 13 for the treatment of undescended testes lowers the risk of cancer of the testes compared with surgery later on in life.

Other possible risk factors include inguinal hernia and mumps. Physical activity is associated with lower risk and sedentary lifestyle is associated with higher risk. Also early onset of male characteristics is associated with increased risk.

Firefighters face increased risk of many cancers. According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, firefighters have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. Others with occupational risks include Miners, gas workers, leather workers, food and beverage processing workers, utility workers.

Other genetic syndromes are also associated with elevated risk. As mention previously white males are more likely to develop this cancer than are males of other races. Nevertheless many men with testicular cancer do not show the suggested risk factors.

TREATMENT: Treatment options are based on the results of staging. Correct diagnosis is necessary to ensure the most effective and least harmful treatment. An incorrect diagnosis is made at the initial examination in up to 25% of patients with testicular tumors and may result in delay in treatment or a sub-optimal approach (scrotal incision) for exploration.

The three basic kinds of treatment are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. As an adjuvant treatment, use of chemotherapy as an alternative to radiation therapy is increasing, because radiation therapy seems to have more significant long-term side effects, for example, internal scarring, higher risks of secondary malignancies etc.

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for non-seminoma when the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body (that is, stage II or III). An alternative, equally effective treatment involves the use of 4 cycles of Etoposide-Cisplatin (EP).

While treatment success depends on the stage, the average survival rate after five years is around 95%, and stage I cancers cases (if monitored properly) have essentially a 100% survival rate (which is why prompt action, when testicular cancer is a possibility is extremely important). Understanding treatment options, accessing new and innovative therapies through clinical trials, as well as understanding the role of supportive care and complementary and alternative medicine are essential.

CONCLUSION: Testicular cancer is a disease that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. The exact cause is not yet known. Common symptoms include: A swelling and/or lump in one or both of the testes. It is necessary to understand that these symptoms may happen as a result of conditions unrelated to the disease.

Possible risk factors include the following: Age - Most testicular cancers occur in men between the ages of 15 and 40. It has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers, in excess of 90% and essentially 100% if it has not metastasized (spread).

It is diagnosed with the help of tests that examine the testicles and the blood. Your exact treatment will be determined by your doctor based on: your age, overall health, and medical history, stage of the disease, your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies as well as personal preferences.