Testicular cancer forms in one or both testicles or testes – a male reproductive organ. Testicular Cancer is relatively uncommon when compared to other cancer types (about 9500 new cases are expected in 2019 in the US).
The month of April is known for its awareness of Testicular Cancer. It is indicated by an orchid cancer ribbon.
Medication Information about Testicular Cancer
The mortality rate from this cancer is also relatively low at about 1 in 5000 cases.
Even if cancer has spread beyond the testicles, it is still highly treatable. The treatment is such a case may involve a combination of treatments and medications. The recovery rate of testicular cancer is over 95%, earlier treatments often show a full recovery.
There can be many factors that can cause Testicular Cancer including family history, abnormality in testicular development, inguinal hernia, ethnicity and undescended testicle. Patients who have had this cancer in the past are also more likely to being diagnosed with it again.
Types of Testicular Cancer:
There are different cell types in the testicles, as such, there can also be different types of testicular cancer.
The cells that make sperms are known as germ cells, most of the testicular cancers form from abnormal germ cells into Seminomas or Non-Seminomas tumour
• Seminomas: These tumours have a high response rate to radiation or chemotherapy and are usually diagnosed in adults in the late 30s to early 50s.
• Non-Seminomas: These tumours grow more rapidly but their treatment with chemotherapy is often effective. These tumours are often found in people in their late teens to the early 40s
There is another type of tumour known as stromal tumours which are generally not cancerous and also do not spread beyond the testicles. They are found in the supportive tissues of the testicles in the hormone-making cells. In case, the stromal tumour is cancerous, it would require aggressive treatment.
How to recognize this cancer
Every man should check his testicles for signs of hardening or thickening each month. There are several signs that indicate testicular cancer, however, it is always recommended to get a professional opinion from an oncologist.
Signs at the initial cancer stage include:
• Heaviness in one or both testicles
• A slight twinge in the groin
• Swelling/lump on one or both testicles
Signs at the advanced cancer stage include:
• An enlarged testicle that is affected
• Enlargement or pain in the mammary gland
• Enlargement of abdominal lymph nodes
Key facts to know about Testicular Cancer:
• 1 in 250 men develop testicular cancer at some point during their lives
• With the average age of 33 years, testicular cancer is mostly found in young or middle-aged men
• Death from this cancer is low at only around 1 in 5000 cases
• Testicular Cancer accounts for only 1% of all cancer cases in men
• Seminomas and Non-Seminomas are the two most types of Testicular Cancer
• Treatment of this cancer by chemotherapy can affect the patient's fertility rate
• Like most cancers, testicular cancer can come back at some point in the patient's life
• Testicular cancer has the most success rate at over 95%
