Testicular Cancer (Testicle Cancer) Causes, Diagnosis, Symptoms, and Treatments on MedicineNet.com

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Testicular Cancer
(Cancer of the Testicle)

Pancreatic Cancer Slideshow

Fighting Testicular Cancer

Daniel J.'s Story

By Angela Generoso
MedicineNet.com
Reviewed by William Shiel, MD, FACP, FACR

Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer His scar is small, about four to five inches on his lower abdomen, just above the groin area. He doesn't really notice it much anymore, but the six-year memory lives vividly in his mind.

Daniel J. was never aware of the importance of self-exams for signs of testicular cancer, until he became a patient himself. As a 25-year-old delivery man at a local flower shop in Oakland, Calif., with no health insurance, he was more than unprepared when the situation arose. Looking back, he is surprised how little is done to inform the male population of the dangers of testicular cancer throughout adolescence.

"I came home from work on a Saturday, and within a couple of hours, I started feeling pain in my groin," Daniel said. "My scrotum was swollen and tender."

Thinking he had simply strained himself at work that day, Daniel took a nap, hoping it would just go away. But when he woke up later that evening, the pain was still there.

Daniel recalls doing a quick search online to figure out what his symptoms meant. Among the possibilities, he saw the words testicular cancer and started to become nervous.

"It was just a possibility at that moment, so I didn't have any specific reason to believe that was the cause," Daniel said. "I went to the emergency room, and I was clinging to the hope that it was a hernia or something simple. Anything but cancer."

Read about Daniel J.'s diagnosis and treatment »

Top Searched Testicular Cancer Terms:

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What are the testicles?

The testicles (also called the testes or gonads) are the male sex glands. They are located behind the penis in a pouch of skin called the scrotum. The testicles produce and store sperm, and they are also the body's main source of male hormones. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male characteristics, such as body and facial hair, low voice, and wide shoulders.

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant (cancerous) in one or both testicles.

The testicles (also called testes or gonads) are a pair of male sex glands. They produce and store sperm and are the main source of testosterone (male hormones) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum.

Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor, testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here. Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells.

Testicular cancer accounts for only 1 percent of all cancers in men in the United States. About 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer, and about 390 men die of this disease each year (1). Testicular cancer occurs most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39, and is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 34. It is most common in white men, especially those of Scandinavian descent. The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men. The reason for the racial differences in incidence is not known.