One of the most common symptoms of testicular cancer is an enlarged testicle. A small, painful lump may be present on the testicle. If the lump is painful, it could mean you have testicular cancer. Your testicle may also become swollen or enlarged. Early detection is crucial to stopping the cancer from spreading. Here are the symptoms to look for. And don’t wait to have your testicle checked by a doctor.
Early symptoms of testicular cancer include facial and body hair growth, rapid deepening of voice, and accelerated puberty in boys. Your doctor will most likely recommend a testicular examination during your annual physical examination, but some doctors recommend examining your testicles once a month starting after puberty. The goal is to catch any early signs before they cause any pain or symptoms. In many cases, cancer of the testicles is curable if discovered in its early stages.
While most cases of testicular cancer are benign, invasive CIS can spread throughout the body. This is a cancer that invades other structures of the testicle, such as lymph nodes and blood vessels. If left untreated, the tumor can spread to other parts of the body, including the brain, lungs, and bones. In rare cases, chemotherapy is not enough to cure this form of cancer. Surgical removal of the testicle is the most common treatment option for patients with invasive CIS.
Surgery to remove the affected testicle is the only treatment for testicular cancer. It doesn’t have to be both testicles. The surgery is a minor outpatient procedure and most men can resume sexual activity afterward. Surgically removing the affected gland can improve sexual energy, but men with cancer of the testicles may have problems conceiving and maintaining an erection. If you have a partner who has testicular cancer, you should talk to them about your options. If a testicular tumor is causing trouble conceiving, it could be best to consider banking your sperm to prevent infertility.
In many cases, the cancer spreads from another part of the body, such as the lungs or the abdomen. This is called a secondary testicular cancer, and is often diagnosed in older men. Treatment of lymphoma for secondary testicular cancers usually consists of surgery and chemotherapy. In many cases, the cancerous cells have spread to the lymph nodes in the chest and neck, and eventually to the lungs. But most cancers don’t spread from one testicle to another.
Treatment for testicular cancer depends on the stage of the disease. If the cancer is non-bulky, then the testicle can be removed and its associated lymph nodes are removed. This treatment is sometimes followed by radiation therapy. In some cases, patients may also be required to undergo surgery to remove any enlarged lymph nodes. However, chemotherapy is a last resort after surgery if the disease has spread to lymph nodes.
