Testicular Cancer

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask when you first noticed the problem and whether your symptoms have worsened over time. He or she will examine the testicle and feel for swollen lymph nodes. Be sure to tell the doctor if either of your testicles was not descended at birth. Your doctor may suspect that you have testicular cancer based on your symptoms or findings during your physical exam, such as a hard lump or area of tenderness. To determine whether a soft lump is solid or fluid filled, your doctor may use a small flashlight to see if light can be transmitted through the lump.

The physical examination may be followed by:

• Ultrasound- In this procedure, high-frequency sound waves are used to check for a mass inside the testicle and for abnormal accumulations of fluid.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans - These painless techniques use magnetic fields or X-rays to create images of the abdomen to check for abnormal masses and enlarged lymph nodes.

• Chest X-ray- This will check whether the cancer has spread to the lung.

The best way to confirm the diagnosis of testicular cancer is to remove the testicle in a procedure called an orchiectomy. After surgery, the testicle will be examined in the laboratory to determine if cancer is present, and if so, the specific type. Blood tests also will be done to measure levels of two tumor-marker proteins, alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG), that can help to gauge the extent of cancer.

Expected Duration

In many people, testicular cancer develops slowly and may remain undetected for years. Like all cancers, testicular cancer will continue to grow and possibly spread until it is treated.