Testicular cancer

Testicular cancer appears as a painless hard lump or swelling on a testicle, part of a man’s reproductive system. It can be a lump, the size of pea or much larger. The lump is a growth or tumour formed by abnormal cells that have multiplied. Most testicular lumps are not cancer.

What are the types of testicular cancer?

There are different types of testicular cancer, depending on which type of cell the cancer starts in. Testicular cancers from reproductive cells are the most common. These are called testicular germ cell tumours.

Ninety-five per cent of testicular cancers are germ cell tumours, starting in the so called ‘germ cells’ that normally develop into sperm. There are two main sub-types of germ cell tumours:

• Non-seminoma tumours mostly occur in younger men aged from their late teens to early 20s. These tumours grow more quickly.
• Seminoma tumours usually occur in men aged 25-45 years, and are slower growing.

The specific causes of testicular cancer are not known, though it most commonly arises when the cells that normally develop into sperm in adult men, the reproductive cells, remain undeveloped. Some factors that increase the likelihood of developing testicular cancer include

• Family history
• Undescended testicle as an infant
• Infertility
• Having cancer in one testicle makes it more likely to develop in the other.

A doctor will perform a physical examination. Other tests include ultrasound, blood, CT or MRI scan and surgery.

Testicular cancer is one of the most treatable cancers. Treatment depends on the how far the cancer has advanced or its stage.

Stage 1 | the cancer is only in the testicle.
Stage 2 | the cancer has spread to pelvic region or stomach lymph nodes.
Stage 3 | the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

Treatment at stage 1 is removal of the testicle, while stages 2 and 3 may include chemotherapy and/or radiation.

While 95 per cent of men who get testicular germ cell tumours can be cured, the prognosis or outlook is poor for men who relapse.

While the survival rates from testicular cancer are excellent, with a 90 per cent cure rate, it can still have life-long consequences that include lower fertility and a higher risk of poor health in older age. In 2020, 928 Australian men were diagnosed with testicular cancer and 30 died from the disease.

Importantly, researchers have linked testicular cancer with male infertility.