Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men 15 to 35 years old. Testicular cancer is more common in white men than in black men.
The causes of testicular cancer are not completely understood. However, the following conditions increase the risk of development:
- Undescended testicle. Men with undescended testicles have the highest risk for developing testicular cancer. This is true even if surgery has been done to secure the testicle in the scrotum.
- Abnormal testicular development.
- Klinefelter syndrome.
- Previous diagnosis of testicular cancer.
The main symptom of testicular cancer is swelling or a painless lump in the scrotum (in or on a testicle). Other symptoms include a dull ache in the abdomen or pelvis, pain or a feeling of heaviness in the testicles, and fluid collection (edema) in the scrotum.
Testicular cancer is treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. The exact treatment depends on the type and extent of the testicular cancer. Most forms of testicular cancer are curable when detected early.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: March 29, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Philip Belitsky, MD, FRCSC - Urology | |
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