Recently a family member was diagnosed with testicular cancer; a young man (not yet thirty years old) who is (otherwise) in very good health. Although I spend my days doing and reading about biomedical research, this episode has exposed the tremendous gaps in my knowledge about this type of cancer.
What I have learned can probably benefit all of us in some way, and I hope that this information will promote discussions and self-exams. Its essential that men regularly feel their balls, or that their partners do the same, and that anything out of the ordinary is brought to the attention of a medical professional.
How to do self-exams: http://tcrc.acor.org/tcexam.html
Some quick facts about testicular cancer (and my original misconceptions):
-the most common type of cancer in males aged 15-34 (I had mistakenly assumed this cancer occured in the same age-range as breast cancer, although only 7% of breast cancer cases occur under the age of 40)
- a biopsy is not usually performed, because this can cause spreading of cancer cells (I thought all cancers were subject to biopsy)
- over 90% of tumors in the testicles are cancerous, so usually detection of a tumor is followed by surgical removal of the affected testicle (I had assumed tumors anywhere in the body held the same risk of being cancer or not)
- while a genetic link has been postulated when other males in your family have had testicular cancer, there is no apparant genetic link to family members with other types of cancer (I had thought that any cancer in your family would leave you with the possibility of genetic predisposition for any cancer)
Statistics from the ACS:
Testicular cancer is not common; a man's lifetime chance of developing testicular cancer is about 1 in 300. Because treatment is so successful, the risk of dying from this cancer is very low: about 1 in 5,000.
Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer include:
- A lump or enlargement in either testicle
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- A dull ache in the abdomen or groin
- A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
- Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum
- Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts
- Unexplained fatigue or a general feeling of not being well
- Cancer usually affects only one testicle.
- The tumor may be a seminoma (slow growing) or a nonseminoma (rapidly growing, and potentially spreads beyond the testicles)
- Ultrasound and/or blood testing may be used to diagnose the cancer, and CT and/or blood testing may be used to determine the stage of the cancer. Treatment options include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy - usually testicular cancer is very responsive to therapy and death rates are low. Usually you will visit an oncologist and urologist for treatment.
Some reliable web-based resources:
National Cancer Institute:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/testicular
Mayo Clinic:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/testicular-cancer/DS00046
Medline:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/testicularcancer.html
American Cancer Society:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_2_3X_Do_I_Have_Testicular_Cancer.asp
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Michael Steinberg
doctorwascher
Paul Hinrichs
Mary Elizabeth Williams
Cary Tennis
Dave Cullen
Salon.com
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