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Who does Testicular cancer most commonly affect?

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Who does Testicular cancer most commonly affect?

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Testicular cancer most commonly affects males 15-35.  It affects white males more than men of other races. This cancer can only affect males, because girls do not have testicles.

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Reliable website for Testicular cancer facts.

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Reliable website for Testicular cancer facts.

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Overview

Testicular cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the testicles. The testicles, which are also called testes, are in the scrotum. The scrotum is a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles make sperm and the hormone testosterone.

Testicular cancer isn't a common type of cancer. It can happen at any age, but it happens most often between the ages of 15 and 45.

The first sign of testicular cancer often is a bump or lump on a testicle. The cancer cells can grow quickly. They often spread outside the testicle to other parts of the body.

Testicular cancer is highly treatable, even when it spreads to other parts of the body. Treatments depend on the type of testicular cancer that you have and how far it has spread. Common treatments include surgery and chemotherapy.

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Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer include:

A lump or swelling in either testicle

A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum

A dull ache in the lower belly or groin

Sudden swelling in the scrotum

Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum

Enlargement or tenderness of the breast tissue

Back pain

Usually testicular cancer only happens in one testicle.

When to see a doctor

See your health care provider if you detect any symptoms that last longer than two weeks. These include pain, swelling or lumps in your testicles or groin area.

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Causes

It's not clear what causes most testicular cancers.

Testicular cancer starts when something causes changes to the DNA of testicle cells. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do. The changes tell the cells to grow and multiply quickly. The cancer cells go on living when healthy cells would die as part of their natural life cycle. This causes a lot of extra cells in the testicle that can form a mass called a tumor.

In time, the tumor can grow beyond the testicle. Some cells might break away and spread to other parts of the body. Testicular cancer most often spreads to the lymph nodes, liver and lungs. When testicular cancer spreads, it's called metastatic testicular cancer.

Nearly all testicular cancers begin in the germ cells. The germ cells in the testicle make sperm. It's not clear what causes DNA changes in the germ cells.

Risk factors

Factors that may increase your risk of testicular cancer include:

Having an undescended testicle, which is called cryptorchidism. The testes form in the belly during fetal development. They typically descend into the scrotum before birth. If you have a testicle that never descended, your risk of testicular cancer is higher. The risk is increased even if you've had surgery to move the testicle to the scrotum.

Having a family history of testicular cancer. If testicular cancer runs in your family, you might have an increased risk.

Being a young adult. Testicular cancer can happen at any age. But it's most common in teens and young adults between 15 and 45.

Being white. Testicular cancer is most common in white people.

Prevention

There's no way to prevent testicular cancer. If you get testicular cancer, there's nothing you could have done to prevent it.

Testicular cancer screening

Some health care providers recommend regular testicle self-exams. During a testicular self-exam you feel your testicles for any lumps or other changes.

Not all health care providers agree with this recommendation. There's no research to show that self-exams can lower the risk of dying of testicular cancer. Even when it is found at a late stage, testicular cancer is likely to be cured.

Still, you might find it helpful to become aware of the usual feel of your testicles. You can do this by doing a testicular self-exam. If you notice any changes that last longer than two weeks, make an appointment with your health care provider.

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Testicular cancer is a growth of cells that starts in the testicles. The testicles, which are also called testes, are in the scrotum. The scrotum is a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles make sperm and the hormone testosterone. Testicular cancer isn't a common type of cancer.

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- Around 8,500 men are diagnosed per year with Testicular Cancer
- Testicular cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men 15-35

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Three symptoms of the disease are...

A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum.

A lump in either testicle

Feeling of heaviness in the testicles

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Testicular cancer is not contagious. It is non-communicable, however it can be genetically inherited.

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Either of the two oval organs that produce sperm in men and other male mammals, enclosed in the scrotum behind the penis.

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1. Combination chemotherapy.

2. High-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant.

3. Surgery to remove cancer that has either: come back more than 2 years after complete remission

4. A clinical trial of a new therapy.

There is no definitive cure for Testicular cancer, but this is the treatment

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The cause of testicular cancer is not known, however it occurs when healthy testicle cells become altered. Often, testicular cancer calls have an extra copy of chromosome 12.  If a cell becomes altered and apoptosis does not occur, the cell can replicate and form a tumor. Age, race, and family history can affect the probability of a patient developing testicular cancer. Some other risk factors can be an descended testicle or an abnormally formed testicle.

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Testicular cancer is a type of cancer  that forms in tissues of one or both testicles. It is most common in young and middle-aged men. Testicular cancer begins in germ cells (cells that make sperm) and are called testicular germ cell tumors.

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You can detect testicular cancer by doing a monthly testicular self-exam. Such an exam is a way that men can look for signs of cancer of the testicles. It's not possible to prevent most cases of this disease at this time.

Experts recommend correcting cryptorchidism in boys for a number of reasons (such as preserving fertility and body image), but it’s not clear how much this changes the child’s risk for testicular cancer.

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Testicular Cancer Signs & Symptoms | Testicular Cancer