Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.Symptoms may include a lump in the testicle, or swelling or pain in the scrotum.Treatment may result in infertility.
Risk factors include an undescended testis, family history of the disease, and previous history of testicular cancer. The most common type is germ cell tumors which are divided into seminomas and nonseminomas.Other types include sex-cord stromal tumors and lymphomas. Diagnosis is typically based on a physical exam, ultrasound, and blood tests.Surgical removal of the testicle with examination under a microscope is then done to determine the type.
Testicular cancer is highly treatable and usually curable.Treatment options may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or stem cell transplantation.Even in cases in which cancer has spread widely, chemotherapy offers a cure rate greater than 80%.
