The testes are two egg-shaped male reproductive organs which lie in the scrotum below the penis. Testicular cancer is most common in men between 15 and 40 years old, although it can occur at other ages. It's still a rare form of cancer although the number of new cases has been rising during the past few years. The reason for this is unknown.
Testicular cancer develops when the germ cells within the testicle divide and mature abnormally. There are two main types of testicular cancer; seminomas and teratomas.
All cancers of the testicle can be treated and, if discovered early, over 90% of them can be cured.
Causes of testicular cancer
The cause of testicular cancer isn't known, although it is more common in men who have an undescended testicle. Before birth the testicles develop inside the baby's abdomen and later move down into the scrotal sac. This usually happens at birth or during the first year of life. If it doesn't happen to both testicles, a man has a higher risk of developing testicular cancer.
Men with a father or brother who has had testicular cancer have a slightly higher risk of developing it. There is no evidence that testicular cancer is caused by injury, sexual activity or aspects of lifestyle, for example diet, smoking or stress. More white men than African or Asian men develop testicular cancer and it also appears to be more common in wealthier social groups.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of testicular cancer are:
- A lump or hardening of a testicle which may or may not be painful
- An ache or 'dragging' sensation in the scrotum
- A swelling of one testicle, so that it appears to look much bigger than the other.
Constant backache, breathlessness or development of breasts should be reported to your doctor. Although there may be other reasons for these symptoms, all of them could mean the cancer has spread.