Testicular Cancer: Warning Signs That You Shouldn’t Ignore

Testicular cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in young adult males, especially between 30 and 39. Testicular cancer starts as healthy cells in the testicle change and expands out of control, becoming a tumor. A cancerous tumor is malignant, which means it can spread to other areas of the body. Testicular cancer can be active and develop and spread quickly. It is extremely treatable, even if cancer has spread beyond the testicle. One of many therapies or combinations can be offered based on the form and stage of testicular cancer. Studies have found that the chance of dying from testicular cancer is about 1 in 5000.

Risk factors and causes of Testicular Cancer

Doctors are not sure what causes cancer in the testicle. However, the following factors can increase a person’s risk of developing testicular cancer:

• Age: Around half of the cases are in men in the 20s and early 30s. However, men of any age can develop this disorder, including men of their teens and 60s.
• Family history: A man who has a close relative, particularly a brother who has had testicular cancer, has an increased chance of having testicular cancer.
• Race: White men are as many as five times more likely to develop testicular cancer than African American or Asian American men.
• Abnormal testicle development: Some conditions cause testicles to develop abnormally. They can increase the risk of developing testicle cancer.
• Personal history: Men havings cancer in 1 testicle have a greater chance of developing cancer in the other testicle. Researchers predict that two in every 100 men with testicular cancer will grow cancer in the other testicle.
• Cryptorchidism: During fetal development, the testicles form in the abdominal region and typically descend into the scrotum before birth. Men with a testicle that has never descended are at a higher risk of contracting testicular cancer than men whose testicles naturally fell. The danger remains high even though the testicle has been surgically transferred to the scrotum.

Still, most men who experience testicular cancer do not have a history of undescended testicles.

Types of Testicular Cancer

The majority of testicular cancers are germ cell tumors that begin in sperm making cells. Two main categories of germ cell tumors begin in the testicles. They’re:

• Non-seminoma: Non-seminoma comprises one or more of the following groups of cancer cells:

1. Embryonal Carcinoma: These cells look like embryo tissue under a microscope.
2. Yolk Sac Carcinoma: It is the most prevalent type of testicular cancer in children.
3. Choriocarcinoma: It’s very rare and grows very easily.
4. Teratoma: These cells also seem like embryonic cells.

• Seminomas: A tumor is often referred to as a seminoma if it is 100% seminoma. This means that cancer does not contain any of the tumor forms mentioned in the non-seminoma section.

Generally, non-seminomas appear to develop and spread quicker than seminomas, but early diagnosis and treatment are critical for all forms of tumors.

Other, less common forms of testicular tumor include:

• Leydig Cell Tumor
• Sertoli Cell Tumor
• Testicular Lymphoma

Warning Signs and Symptoms of Testicular Cancer

1. The most frequent symptom is a lump in or on a testicle (testicular lump).
2. Pressure, irritation, or swelling in the testicle or scrotum, with or without swelling.
3. Sudden buildup of fluid in the scrotum
4. Soreness or modification of breast tissue
5. Early signs of puberty in a younger kid
6. Blood clots that can move through the lungs and induce shortness of breath.
7. Lower back pain due to the spread of retroperitoneal disease
8. A dull ache in the lower belly or the groin
9. Shrinking of a testicle.

There are also some advanced symptoms of testicular cancer. They may contain the following:

1. Early Puberty
2. Fatigue
3. Chest Pain
4. Stomach or belly pain
5. Headaches
6. Confusion
7. Weight loss

If you are worried about any changes you may notice, please speak to your doctor. When cancer is diagnosed, relieving symptoms is a vital part of cancer diagnosis and recovery. It sometimes starts shortly after diagnosis and persists during therapy.

Diagnosis of Testicular Cancer

Doctors use a variety of methods to detect or evaluate cancer. They also conduct checks to figure out whether cancer has spread to another area of the body from where it originated. However, you should primarily use the self-examination method to identify unusual signs.

Testicular Self-Exam

You can often locate a tumor by testing yourself. Try at least once a month. The best way to inspect the testicles is before or after a bath or shower when the scrotum’s skin is comfortable.

• Stand up and keep the penis out of the way and inspect each testicle separately.
• Place your testicle between your thumbs and fingertips in both hands and softly move it between your fingertips.
• Look and feel for any rough lumps or nodules (smooth rounded masses) or shifts in the scale, form, or strength of the testicles.

It is common for one testicle to be marginally larger than the other testicle, and for one to hang lower than the other testicle. You should also be mindful that each typical testicle has a thin, coiled tube called an epididymis that can feel like a slight bump on the upper or middle outer side of the testis. Natural testicles often contain blood vessels, supportive tissues, and sperm-carrying channels. Any men can first associate these with irregular lumps. If you have any questions, please ask your doctor.

If you want to regularly inspect your testicles, you’ll get to know what’s natural and unusual. Please mention any changes to the doctor immediately.

Medical exam

Your doctor will examine your testicles during a regular medical exam. If something doesn’t seem right, then they might suggest some medical tests. They include:

• Health record and physical exam: Your urologist will speak to you about your health. Your scrotum, belly (abdomen), lymph nodes, and other parts will be examined for signs of cancer. They’re trying to look for lumps, firmness, or signs of swelling. Tell them if you have a history of undescended testicles.

• Ultrasound: This is using sound waves to take a picture of your testicles. It can tell whether the growths are more likely to be cancer or harmless. You’ll lay on your back on the exam table for this painless examination. A technician applies a transparent gel on your scrotum and passes an ultrasound unit on your scrotum.

• Blood Tests: Your doctor may want to test your blood for research. Testicular cancers also contain proteins or enzymes that can be detected in your blood.

Testicular cancers also emit a few markers. Their presence in your blood means that you are likely to have testicular cancer. These are the markers:

1. Alpha-Fetoprotein(AFP)
2. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)

           Note: Not all people with testicular cancer produce markers.

• Biopsy: Your doctor can extract any tissue from your testicle to check for cancer. It’s called a biopsy. There is a risk that it will cause cancer to spread so that the doctor can do that just in the operating room. The technician will check at the problem right away, and if it is cancerous, the doctor will cut out the testicle.

• Other tests: More scans would be required to confirm whether testicular cancer has spread in nearly all cases. You will need to get a chest X-Ray to scan for symptoms of a tumor. You will also require a CT-Scan to determine the spreading of cancer.

Treatment of Testicular Cancer

Your treatment will depend on various factors, including the condition, physical well-being, and whether you plan to have children later. Speak to the doctor about what would be best for you.

Treatment options include:

• Surveillance: Surveillance is a way to search for improvements with daily check-ups. This includes physical examinations, tumor marker scans, and MRI scans. Imaging tests start with an ultrasound of the scrotum. They can also require chest x-rays or CT scans. No matter what treatment, most men should take tests to find signs of low testosterone.

• Surgery: Surgery is the key cure for testicular cancer. There are several kinds of surgery. They may include:

1. Orchiectomy: Many men with testicular cancer have surgery to remove a testicle. If you choose, your doctor can substitute it with a prosthetic.
2. Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection: It is a lengthy, complicated surgery to remove the lymph nodes in the back of your abdomen. Your doctor will take precautions to mitigate damage to your surrounding nerves.
3. Testes-sparing surgery (TSS): Your doctor will remove the tumor and leave the testicle in place. This operation is usually performed for men with small tumors that are not cancerous (called benign).

• Radiation Therapy: Radiation is used to destroy cancer cells in the testis or surrounding lymph nodes. It could be an alternative if testicular cancer (either type) has spread to distant organs such as the brain. There are a few forms of radiation treatment included.

• Chemotherapy: Some medications can destroy cancer cells in your body or stop them from dividing. These medications can also destroy healthy cells, including those that create blood.

Does Testicular Cancer Affect Your Sex Life and Fertility?

Removal of one testicle does not affect your sex life or fertility, but testicular cancer does increase your risk of infertility and low testosterone. Before treatment, you could want to have your sperm banked. Your testosterone level will increase again over time. At last, we need widespread awareness.