While testicular cancer is rare overall (occurring in only around 1% of men in the U.S.), it’s among the most common cancers affecting men between the ages of 15 and 45. Because it can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body, testicular cancer should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. Speak with a Bayhealth cancer expert about treatment options.
Types of Testicular Cancer
There are two main types of testicular cancer, each occurring at different stages of life. Though other forms of the disease exist, the following are the most common.
- Seminomas: Often affecting men at an older age, seminomas develop slowly.
- Non-seminomas: Developing mostly in younger men, this more aggressive form of testicular cancer grows and metastasizes quickly.
Signs and Symptoms
The most common sign of testicular cancer is the presence of physical changes. If the texture or shape of your testicle has changed—including swelling, firmness or the appearance of lumps—you should see a medical professional about receiving a cancer screening.
Other symptoms include the following.
- A dull or sharp pain in one or both testicles
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
Risk Factors & Prevention
While exact causes of testicular cancer are unclear, several factors may increase the likelihood of developing the disease. Those factors include the following.
- Age: Testicular cancer can occur at any age, but it most commonly develops in men between the ages of 15 and 45.
- Race: Testicular cancer most often occurs in white men.
- Undescended Testical: Having a testicle that never descended after birth (cryptorchidism) heightens your risk for developing testicular cancer.
Family and Personal History
Because some cases can be linked to inherited syndromes or genetic mutations, understanding your family’s health history can be beneficial to the treatment or prevention of testicular cancer.
In clinical partnership with Penn Medicine’s Telegenetics Program, Bayhealth provides genetic counseling services to patients. Using video-conferencing software that can be accessed at our Kent and Sussex campuses, genetic counselors from the Abramson Cancer Center will discuss your personal and family history with you and make genetic testing recommendations. These tests will provide insight into your cancer risks and help our multidisciplinary medical team to determine the best treatment plan for your condition. To learn more about our telegenetics program or to participate, call us at 302-674-4401.
How We Diagnose Testicular Cancer
We use the following procedures to diagnose testicular cancer.
- Physical Exam: Our medical expert examines your testicles for signs of cancer.
- Blood Test: A blood test may indicate the presence of cancer in the testicles.
- Histology: The testicle in question is removed and examined under a microscope for signs of cancer.
- Computerized Tomography (CT): Certified experts use computer-processed X-rays to generate a scan of your body in “slices” to create highly accurate images.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A combination of a magnetic field and radio waves creates three-dimensional images of specific areas of your body to determine if disease or physical abnormalities are present.
- Ultrasound: High-energy sound waves are bounced off your internal tissues and organs, creating a detailed image (sonogram) of the area.
Treatment Options
Our multidisciplinary team works collaboratively to outline a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Experts from a range of specialties will discuss your condition and determine the best plan of action. Factors we consider when developing your treatment plan include the stage and location of the cancer and your personal medical history.
Treatments for testicular cancer include the following.
Medical Therapy
Our board-certified oncologists prescribe your medical therapy, and our highly trained nursing staff administers that therapy intravenously, orally or through injection.
Among the medical treatments we provide are the following.
- Targeted Drug Therapy: This type of cancer treatment uses drugs to “target” cancer cells without affecting normal cells.
- Chemotherapy: This drug treatment uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cancer cells in your body.
- Immunotherapy: This treatment option boosts your immune system, empowering it to fight and destroy cancer cells.
Radiation Therapy
Our team of board-certified radiation oncologists may use external beam radiation in combination with other treatments to address your cancer. Employing sophisticated technology, our therapists concentrate high-energy beams of radiation on the precise parts of your body affected by disease. This safe and accurate procedure may be administered routinely over a period of days or weeks.
Surgical Approach
Our specialized surgery team uses the latest in minimally invasive techniques to remove the testicle affected by disease (orchidectomy). Adhering to evidence-based guidelines, our robot-assisted surgical procedures provide safe treatment for all stages of cancer.
Learn more about cancer treatment options at Bayhealth.
Support Services
Before, during and after your cancer treatments, our experts remain dedicated to improving your quality of life. Our care team supports you in establishing healthy routines that help you stay in control of your daily symptoms. We also host support groups that provide patients and families opportunities to connect and share their experiences — because a strong network of support can help to make the realities of cancer more manageable.
- Cancer Support Community: A statewide non-profit organization, the Cancer Support Community is dedicated to helping people manage the emotional aspects of their cancer journey. Learn more about the Cancer Support Community.
Explore our classes, events and support groups.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that test cutting-edge drugs, procedures and technologies with the purpose of establishing new or better ways of treating cancer. The skilled nurses in our Clinical Research Program can help you find clinical trial options for your specific cancer.
Speak with a Bayhealth expert about cancer treatment options.