Testicular Cancer

By Chris Stafford and Doug Bank

We all know from t.v. shows, newspaper and magazine articles, as well as public service announcements, that women should perform monthly breast self-exams to guard against cancer.

Unknown to many people however are the facts about testicular cancer, which affects men under 35 more than any other type of cancer. Just as women should self-check regularly so should men check themselves regularly for abnormalities on their testicles.

Initially testicular cancer often reveals itself as a small painless lump, an enlargement of a testicle, or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum. Testicular cancer has the highest cure rate of all cancers because the chemotherapy used is extremely effective. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the testicle is one of the easiest organs in the human body to examine and remove. An ultrasound is usually used to examine the testicle and determine if a tumor is present. If a tumor is there, the testicle must be removed in order to determine if the tumor is cancerous - and they usually are. Removal of the affected testicle may be accompanied by radiation, surgery and/or chemotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the body.

The actual surgical procedure involves making a small incision just above the pubic bone, pulling the testicle through and cutting it loose. This procedure takes about one hour.

There is normally no adverse effect due to the loss of one testicle. One testicle is sufficient for normal erection and ejaculation. Dysfunction following surgery is usually due to psychological, not physical problems, and occurs most commonly in men who worried about such dysfunction and who didn't talk about these emotions and feel as though they have been disfigured by the surgery. This is not usually a problem.

Unfortunately, the chemotherapy used to destroy cancerous cells elsewhere in the body also does carry the extremely strong probability of infertility. Similarly, the surgery used to examine lymph nodes for cancer can cause infertility problems because it may interfere with normal ejaculation (not orgasm). Donating sperm to a sperm bank prior to surgery or chemotherapy is recommended for men who want to ensure their ability to have biological children at a later date.

The cause of testicular cancer is unknown; family history, undescended testicles, and small, infertile testicles are known risk factors. Injuries do not cause this cancer but severe injury can reveal latent cancer by causing extreme pain or bleeding.

The minimal exposure given to testicular cancer in the past is evidenced by the movie Brian's Song which was the story of the former football player, Brian Piccolo, and his battle with cancer. Unknown throughout the entire movie was the fact that he had testicular cancer which spread to other parts of his body. He "officially" died of lung cancer which was a result of unchecked testicular cancer. More recently, athletes like Lance Armstrong and Scott Hamilton have made very public statements about their battles with testicular cancer.

Monthly Self-exam

After a warm shower or bath gently roll each testicle between your thumb and fingers covering its entire surface face area. One testicle may be larger than the other; this is normal.

If any lump or irregularity is discovered, see a urologist immediately. Similarly, any changes in the way the testicles feel from month to month should be reported to a doctor. Note: The epididymis is a cord-like structure on the top and back of the testicle that stores and transports sperm. Do not confuse the epididymis with an abnormal lump.

Any irregularity or lump does not mean cancer is present, but delay in seeking professional help could easily lead to this highly curable cancer becoming a more serious, harder to treat form of cancer.

For more information on the detection and treatment of testicular cancer, check out the Testicular Cancer Resource Center web page.