According to the National Cancer Institute there are about 8,400 new cases of testicular caner each year in the United States. Testicular cancer is the cancer in your testis. Your testis are the egg shaped glands inside your scrotum. Early detection and treatment of testicular cancer greatly improves your chances of recovery.
Warning Signs
Some men discover they have testicular cancer because they had symptoms that led them to see a doctor. Common sings of testicular cancer include a lump in one or both of your testicles, aching in your lower abdominal, back or groin, pain in your testicles or scrotum, a sensation of heaviness in your scrotum or scrotum swelling. If your testicular cancer is in an early stage you may not experience any symptoms.
Routine Exams
Testicular cancer can also be discovered during routine physical exams and diagnostic test for other conditions. A yearly physical exam by your doctor can uncover lumps or tenderness that you may not have noticed. Ultrasounds or biopsies used to pinpoint fertility issues can reveal cancerous cells.
Surgery
Surgery is the most common first treatment for testicular cancer. Your surgeon will remove the affected testicle(s). If the cancer is discovered early enough you may only need to have one testicle removed. Depending on the stage of your cancer you may need to have some of the lymph nodes behind your abdomen removed.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. In some cases chemotherapy can cure your testicular cancer. Chemotherapy will also slow down the growth of cancer cells and help prevent them from spreading to other organs. For testicular cancer, chemotherapy is usually given via vein in your doctor's office.
Radiation
Radiation therapy uses high energy rays to kill or slow down the growth of cancer cells. Radiation is not used on all types of testicular cancer. There are some testicular cancers that do not respond to radiation treatment. Your doctor may want you to get radiation after surgery to ensure that any cancer cells left behind are killed.
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