Testicular tumors are tumors that develop in the cells of the testicles, the egg-shaped male reproductive glands in the scrotum. There are numerous kinds of testicular tumors, but treatment with surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy has produced a very high survival rate and made it one of the most curable forms of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
Significance
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009, nearly 8,400 men were newly diagnosed with testicular cancer in the United States, and approximately 380 men died in the US that year. The lifetime risk of a man in the United States developing testicular cancer is about 1 in 300, and with advances in treatment, the odds of him dying from the disease are about 1 in 5,000, according to the American Cancer Society. The National Cancer Institute states that this cancer is diagnosed most in men ages 20 to 35 years old.
Risk Factors
There are various risk factors for testicular cancer. Having a risk factor does not mean a diagnosis of the disease is inevitable; it simply increases the risk of developing the disease. Some risk factors for testicular cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute, include having had an undescended testicle, having a family or personal history of testicular cancer, being Caucasian and having any abnormal development of the testicles.
Types
There are many different types of testicular cancer, and within each category there are subtypes of tumors. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 90 percent of testicular tumors are germ cell tumors, which means the cancer originates in germ cells, which produce sperm. There are a variety of germ cell tumors, including seminomas, non-seminomas, embryonal carcinomas, choriocarcinomas and teratomas. Stromal testicular tumors start in the supportive tissues of the testicles that help produce hormones, called stroma. These tumors make up 5 percent of adult testicular tumors but 20 percent of childhood testicular tumors. The main types of stromal tumors are Leydig cell tumors and Sertoli cell tumors. Other kinds of cancer, like lymphoma, can spread to the testicles, and while this is not primary testicular cancer, these are secondary testicular tumors.
Signs and Symptoms
Some signs of testicular cancer include changes in how the testicles feel, painless swelling or a lump in either or both testicles, fluid buildup in the testicles, testicular or scrotum pain and an ache in the groin or lower abdomen. Because these symptoms can also be signs of problems other than testicular cancer, getting a thorough exam and accurate diagnosis is important.
Prognosis
The National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society put the five-year survival rate, or the percentage of patients alive five years post diagnosis, at 95 percent. If the cancer is contained within the testicle and has not spread to other tissues, the survival rate goes up to 99 percent; even if the cancer has spread past the lymph nodes to other tissues, the survival rate is near 71 percent.
