Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer originates within the testicles, which are responsible for producing sperm for reproduction and the production of male sex hormones like testosterone. It is most often found in men ages 15 to 44 years.
The cells that eventually form sperm (termed germ cells) are the origin of most testicular cancers. The cancer is relatively rare but is highly treatable and with early diagnosis, testicular cancer can be cured. To catch this cancer early, men are encouraged to learn about early signs, learn how to do a testicular self-exam.
Cancer Care of North Florida will take careful steps stage and grade the tumor to assess the best way to create and manage your treatment plan. Our goal is to achieve the very best outcome while preserving your quality of life.
Types of testicular cancers include:
- Germ cell tumors (most common)
- Seminomas
- Non-seminomas
- Carcinoma in-situ
- Stromal tumors
What are the risk factors for Testicular Cancer?
It may not be possible to avoid risk factors for testicular cancer. The best plan is to catch it early. Men with the highest risk are:
- Men with a father or brother who had testicular cancer
- Men with a history of testes that don’t drop before birth (also known as undescended testes or cryptorchidism)
- Abnormal cells in the testicle called germ cell neoplasia in situ (GCNIS), most often found during an infertility test