A series of tests or investigations will be done to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of cancer and to find out whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body. The tests will also check your general health.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a sensitive test which uses sound waves to build up a picture of your testicle. A gel will be spread over the skin to help conduct the sound waves. A sensor, similar to a microphone, will be moved over the surface of your testicle, and a picture will be formed on a television screen. The scan takes about 20 minutes and is painless.
Orchidectomy
The only way to confirm there is a cancer, and to find out the type of cells it contains, is to remove the testicle. This is called an orchidectomy and is performed under a general anaesthetic. This is also the first step in the treatment of testicular cancer. You will probably need to stay in hospital for two or three days.
The cells of the testicle will be examined under the microscope. When some types of cancer are suspected, a biopsy (sample of the cells) is taken for examination. However, in the case of testicular cancer this can increase the chance of spread to other parts of the body. The only safe way to confirm the diagnosis is by orchidectomy. You will be offered a prosthetic testicle before your surgery. You will be able to discuss this fully with your doctor or specialist nurse.
Staging
You may have other tests, which include a chest x-ray, CT scan or MRI scan. The information from these tests is used to assess the size of the cancer and how far it has spread. This is called ‘staging’. Your doctors need to know the extent of the cancer to help them decide on the most appropriate treatment for you.