Catamount Classic Official Web Site :: Lacrosse for a Cure!

Testicular Cancer Fact Page...

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men 20 to 35 years old. It is highly treatable and often curable in up to 90% of patients.

Testicular cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of one or both testicles. Almost all testicular cancers start in the germ cells (which produce immature sperm). The two main types of testicular germ cell tumors are seminomas and nonseminomas. These two types of tumors grow and spread differently and are treated differently. Nonseminomas tend to grow and spread more quickly than seminomas, while seminomas are more sensitive to radiation therapy.

Testicular cancer is most easily treated and cured when detected early, before it metastasizes (or spreads) to other areas of the body. Being aware of risk factors and knowing the warning signs can aid in the detection of testicular cancer in an early stage.

Risk factors for testicular cancer include:

Having an undescended testicle, or having had abnormal development of the testicles
Having a personal or family history of testicular cancer
Having Klinefelter syndrome
Caucasian Ethnicity

Symptoms or warning signs for testicular cancer include:

A painless lump or swelling in either testicle
A change in how the testicle feels
A dull ache in the lower abdomen or groin
A sudden build-up of fluid in the scrotum

There are different types of treatment for patients with testicular cancer. The most common treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. New types of treatment are also being tested in clinical trials. (Infertility can be a permanent side-effect of treatment, and patients who wish to have children should consider sperm banking before beginning cancer treatment.)

Surgery entails removing the testicle and any tumors that have spread to other places in the body. Some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill any cancer cells that are left after surgery.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be external (given by a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer) or internal (placing a radioactive substance directly into or near the cancer).

Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping cells from dividing.

Clinical Trials are currently being conducted to help improve current treatments and obtain information on new treatments for patients with testicular cancer. One such trial is a high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant. In this trial, stored patient stem cells are and given back to the patient after chemotherapy to restore the body's blood cells, which were destroyed by the cancer treatment.

Lifelong follow-up exams are crucial for men who have had testicular cancer.

Men who have had testicular cancer have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other testicle, and in some cases, other types of blood-related cancers.