- Possible signs of advanced testicular cancer
- How to confirm the diagnosis
- Possible causes of testicular cancer
- How the treatment is done
- Does the treatment cause infertility?
Testicular cancer is a rare type of tumor that appears mainly in young people between 15 and 35 years old. In addition, testicular cancer is more common in men who have already suffered a severe trauma or several injuries in the region, as in the case of athletes, for example.
Generally, cancer develops very slowly, so the symptoms of testicular cancer can be difficult to identify. However, the most common include:
- Presence of hard and painless nodules about the size of a pea; Increased size and, consequently, testicle weight; Breast enlargement or tenderness in the region; One testicle harder than the other; Pain in the testicle when feeling it or pain in the testicle after intimate contact.
The best way to identify possible signs of testicular cancer is to regularly self-test the testicles in the bath, for example, as it helps to identify some early changes that may turn into cancer.
Watch the following video and see the step-by-step how to properly testicle yourself:
In the event of changes in self-examination, it is recommended to consult a urologist for diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound, specific blood tests or tomography, to confirm the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment, if necessary.
There are also other testicular problems that can cause symptoms very similar to cancer, especially the presence of a lump, but which are a sign of less serious situations, such as epididymitis or varicocele, but which need to be treated properly. See 7 other causes of lump in the testicle.
Possible signs of advanced testicular cancer
When the cancer is already at a more advanced stage, it can end up spreading to other parts of the body and generate other symptoms such as:
- Constant pain in the bottom of the back; Feeling of shortness of breath or frequent cough; Constant pain in the belly; Frequent headache or confusion.
These signs are more rare and usually indicate that the cancer is able to spread to other places such as lymph nodes, lung, liver or brain, for example.
At this stage, cancer is more difficult to fight, however, treatment is done to try to decrease the size of the cancer and relieve symptoms.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The best way to confirm whether testicular cancer really exists is to see a urologist. This doctor, in addition to performing a physical evaluation, identifying symptoms and confirming family history, may also order an ultrasound or blood test to confirm the presence of cancer. In addition, you can also perform a biopsy of the tissue in one of the testicles, if there appear to be changes suggestive of cancer.
Possible causes of testicular cancer
The cause of testicular cancer is not yet fully understood, however, there are some factors that seem to increase a man's risk of developing this type of cancer. The main ones are:
- Having a testicle that did not come down; Having a family history of testicular cancer; Being infected with HIV; Having had cancer in a testicle; Being between 20 and 34 years old.
In addition, being Caucasian also seems to increase the risk of having this type of cancer by up to 5 times, when compared to the black race, for example.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for testicular cancer depends on the course of the disease, as it can vary between radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery. However, testicular cancer is curable in most cases, even when metastases have formed.
Thus, treatment is usually started with surgery to remove the affected testicle and all cancer cells, being sufficient in less developed cases of cancer. In more advanced cases, it may be necessary to have radiotherapy or chemotherapy after surgery, to eliminate the remaining tumor cells that may have remained.
After treatment, the urologist makes several appointments to have blood tests and CT scans, in order to assess whether the cancer has been completely eliminated.
See better what options are available for the treatment of testicular cancer.
Does the treatment cause infertility?
Usually, a man is only infertile when it is necessary to remove both testicles, which happens in a few cases. However, in these cases it is possible to preserve some sperm in specialized laboratories before surgery, which can then be used to make artificial insemination, for example, allowing children to be born.
