Did You Know?
Video Series from the National Cancer Institute:
Testicular Cancer
Did you know that testicular cancer is most frequently
diagnosed among men aged 20-34?
Half of new cases occur in this age group.
The median age at diagnosis is 33.
Compared with other cancers, testicular cancer is rare.
It is the 24th most common cancer in the United States.
However, more than 9,000 men are diagnosed
with this cancer each year.
Although men can develop testicular cancer at any time
during their life, less than 3% of new cases
are diagnosed in men over the age of 65.
The 5-year relative survival rate for testicular cancer
is 95%.
This means that out of every 100 men
diagnosed with testicular cancer, about 95
have not died from their cancer 5 years after diagnosis,
after adjusting for other causes of death.
White men are most likely to develop
testicular cancer, followed by American Indian and Alaska
Native, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander,
and black men.
The risk of developing testicular cancer
among white men is more than four times
that among black men, and more than three times
that among Asian and Pacific Islander men.
Testicular cancer can occur in one or both testicles.
The testicles are also sometimes called testes,
or testis if referring to one testicle.
Nearly all testicular cancers start
in germ cells, which are the cells that make sperm.
There are two main types of testicular germ cell
cancers--seminomas and nonseminomas.
They grow and respond to treatment differently.
Testicular cancer is usually found by men themselves,
either by chance or during a self-exam.
Sometimes the cancer is found by a doctor
during a routine physical exam.
Although there is no routine screening
test for testicular cancer, it can usually be cured.
Finding it early may make it easier to treat.
Symptoms of testicular cancer include:
A lump or swelling in either testicle
A change in how the testicle feels
An ache in the lower abdomen or groin
Sudden build-up of fluid in the scrotum, or
Pain and discomfort in the testicles or scrotum
However, conditions other than testicular cancer
may be causing these symptoms.
Certain factors such as
Having an undescended testicle
Having abnormal development of the testicles
Having a personal history of testicular cancer, or
Having a family history of this disease (especially a father
or brother)
May increase the likelihood of developing testicular cancer.
Treating testicular cancer can cause infertility
by decreasing the amount of sperm made by the body.
Changes in fertility may be temporary or permanent.
So, some men may choose to store their sperm
before beginning treatment.
It is important to talk with your doctor about fertility
and cancer treatment.
Talk with your doctor, or someone you trust,
such as a parent, coach, or significant other
if you are experiencing any of the symptoms
covered in this video, since they are warning signs
of possible testicular cancer.
Also talk with your doctor if you
have questions about your risk.
For clear and accurate answers to your questions about
testicular cancer, visit cancer.gov or call
1-800-4-CANCER to connect with specialists from NCI's Contact
Center.
For more cancer statistics, go to seer.cancer.gov
US Department of Health and Human Services,
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.
Produced September 2020.