The common type is seminoma,it occurs in men aged between 25 and 50 years.And another type of testicular cancer is non-seminoma testicular cancer.that type of cancer is common in younger age.
Screening
There is no routine screening test for testicular cancer. There is also little evidence to suggest that testicular self-examination detects cancer earlier or improves outcomes.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Testicular cancer may cause no symptoms. The most common symptom is a painless swelling or a lump in a testicle.
Less common symptoms include:
feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
change in the size or shape of the testicle
feeling of unevenness
pain or ache in the lower abdomen, the testicle or scrotum
enlargement or tenderness of the breast.
Tests used to diagnose testicular cancer include:
ultrasound (to confirm the presence of a mass) and
blood tests for the tumour markers alpha-fetoprotein, beta human chorionic gonadotrophin and lactate dehydrogenase.
However, the only way to definitely diagnose testicular cancer is by surgical removal of the affected testicle. While many other types of cancers are diagnosed by biopsy (removing a small piece of tissue from the tumour), cutting into a testicle could spread the cancer to other parts of the body. Hence the whole testicle needs to be removed if cancer is strongly suspected.
Staging
In addition to the results of the diagnostic tests above, a chest x-ray and CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis are done to determine whether and how far the cancer has spread.
Stage 1 means the cancer is found only in the testicle, stage 2 means it has spread to the lymph nodes in the abdomen or pelvis, and stage 3 means the cancer has spread beyond the lymph nodes to other areas of the body such as the lungs and liver.
Causes
The causes of testicular cancer are unknown, however factors that may increase a man’s risk are:
undescended testicle (when an infant)
family history (having a father or brother who has had testicular cancer).
There is no known link between testicular cancer and injury to the testicles, sporting strains, hot baths or wearing tight clothes.
Prevention
There are no proven measures to prevent testicular cancer.
Treatment
If the cancer is found only in the testicle (stage 1), removal of the testicle (orchidectomy) may be the only treatment needed. If the cancer has spread beyond the testicle, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy may be used as well.
Prognosis
An individual's prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis. All testicular cancers can be treated. The five year survival rate for men diagnosed with testicular cancer is close to 98%.
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