Testicular cancer

Did you know that testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in young men between the ages of 15-34 years? There may be no symptoms but there may be testicular enlargement, testicular lumps, pain in the back, abdominal discomfort or blood in the semen. Any testicle that feels enlarged, is firm, or has a painless lump should be checked out by a doctor.

It may be caused by a past medical history of undescended testicle, mumps, hernia during childhood, or previous testicular cancer on the other side. The tumors are more commonly found within the right testicle than the left testicle.

Prevention

-Immunization against the mumps

-testicular self-examinations

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type of tumor, the stage of the tumor, and the extent of the disease. There is:

Surgical treatment - removal of the testicle and associated lymph nodes

-Radiation therapy

-Chemotherapy

If not treated it may spread to other parts of the body. The most common sites include the abdomen, the spine, and the lungs.

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