Page 1 - Testicular Cancer

Urological Health
Testicular cancer
A lump in the testicle may be a worrisome sign and should be investigated by a medical
doctor.
esticular cancer is a frightening condition for men
Tand their loved ones. Most often it is diagnosed
in young men who are typically not expected to be
faced with a diagnosis of cancer. It is actually the
most common type of cancer found in young men
in Canada. It is also one of the most curable cancers
men can have. The testicles are the main male
reproductive organs located in the scrotum. Testicular
cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in one or
both testicles. It is usually diagnosed after finding a
lump or a growth in or around one of the testicles.
It can also be diagnosed after noticing pain, a dull
ache or heaviness in the scrotum. There are many
factors that are considered when deciding treatment
for your testicular cancer.
Risk factors
There are a number of known risk factors that can
increase your chances of developing testicular
cancer. If you had a testicle that was not completely
descended into the scrotum at birth, if you have a
personal history or a family history of testicular cancer,
or if you have a history of infertility (difficulty getting
a partner pregnant), these may increase your risk of
testicular cancer. Most of the time, however, we do
not know what caused the cancer to develop.
Diagnosis
There are common tests that all males who are
diagnosed with testicular cancer go through. The first
step is a physical exam by a physician to determine if
any abnormalities can be felt. This is usually followed
by an ultrasound (a machine that uses sound waves
to look inside of the scrotum and testicles). If a
suspicious area is identified, your physician will order
further blood tests. These blood tests will include
various tumour markers which are substances
produced by some testicular tumours. A CT scan
of your abdomen and pelvis with a chest x-ray or a
CT scan of your chest is also required to determine
the spread of the cancer. The next step is usually to
remove the testicle through a small incision in your
lower abdomen to confirm the diagnosis and establish
the type of cancer you have.
Staging
Depending on the type of testicular cancer, the results
of your blood tests and the results of your CT scans,
you will then be assigned a stage of testicular cancer.
The stage of the cancer is determined by the extent
of the cancer. Stage I is found only in the testicle,
Stage II is also in the lymph nodes of the abdomen,
and Stage III has spread beyond the lymph nodes
of the abdomen. Treatment will depend on these
factors as well as your preference after hearing about
the advantages and disadvantages of each form of
therapy.
Treatment
The initial step in treatment is to remove the testicle.
This is done through a small incision in the lower
abdomen and is referred to as a radical orchiectomy.
Depending on the stage of your cancer, there are a
number of treatment options available. For patients
with Stage I cancer one of the options is surveillance
which involves regular blood tests and CT scans.
For higher stage cancer the treatment options may
include chemotherapy (drugs that destroy cancer
cells), radiation (high energy x-rays that kill cancer
cells), or more surgery. There are side effects from
these more aggressive treatments that are important
to discuss with your physicians. The ultimate aim of
treatment is to minimize the risks of testicular cancer
recurrence and the side effects of treatment. The
majority of men are cured and go back to living full
and productive lives.
Many times, in men interested in having children in the
future, your physician may recommend to have sperm
“banked” for use at a later date. It is important to
consider this early in the course of your treatment plan
as various treatments can impact the number and
quality of your sperm.
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