Testicular Cancer: What we know

While we may be more aware of prostate cancer, testicular cancer is just as important to be aware of, especially since it is more likely to happen to younger men.

Testicles are an important part for a man. Not only are they responsible for making sperm, but they also make their testosterone hormone, which therefore can impact their sex drive, gives them deeper voice, gives them body and facial hair, and accounts for their muscle and body size.

There are two types of testicular cancers. One is called seminoma, which occurs in all age groups. This is the one that if an older man is diagnosed with testicular cancer, that he will most likely be diagnosed with. In general, they are not as aggressive as the other cancer. Nonseminoma's are the other type of cancer you can develop and it tends to develop earlier in life and can grow and spread rapidly. There are several types of nonseminoma cancers like choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumour.

What are the facts?

• It is the most common cancer for men between the ages of 15 and 35
• 1 in 250 men are at risk of being diagnosed with it within their lifetime
• It is considered to be one of the most curable cancers when caught early. 
• The average age of diagnosis in 33 years old
• 6% of all cases are diagnosed in boys and 8% have been diagnosed in men older than 55
• It is estimated that approximately 410 men will die from complications that result from getting this cancer, including the cancer spreading to areas other than the testicles. 

What are the symptoms?

Some signs and symptoms can include, but are not limited to

• A lump or enlargement of 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 in the breast region
• Back pain

This cancer usually only effects one testicle, however it can occur in both. 

Risk Factors

Things that could increase your risk of testicular cancer can include

• An undescended testicle: even if you had surgery to correct this problem, you are still at a higher risk
• Abnormal testicle development: conditions that cause testicles to develop abnormally 
• Family history
• Age: teens and younger men are at a higher risk, however it can occur at any age
• Race: it is more common in Caucasian men

What are the stages?

• Stage 1: the cancer is limited to the testis
• Stage 2: The cancer has spread to the lymph glands in the abdomen
• Stage 3: the cancer has spread to the lymph glands further away or has spread to other organs such as the lungs

What can you do to catch it early?
Self-exams are so so important for any sort of cancer. It's important to know your body. If anything feels off or suddenly appears, tell your doctor. Some tests your doctor may look into are:

• An ultrasound: this can help your doctor determine the nature of your lumps, such as whether they are fluid filled or solid and it can tell your doctor whether they are inside or outside the testicle
• Blood tests: your doctor may want to determine your tumour markers. Tumour markers are substances that occur normally in your blood, but elevated levels can indicate something may be off. 

Overall, catching these cancers early are so so important. While there may not be anything we can do to prevent it from happening, there are things we can do to ensure we get help as fast as possible. One of these steps is doing a self-exam which we talk about in our next blog post.

Resources
Cancer.ca
Mayoclinic.org
Testicularcancer.ngo