How common is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy in men age 15- 35 years and second most common in those men aged 35- 39 years.
What are the risk factors?
The exact causes of testicular cancer are unknown.
However, it has been found to be more common in men who have a testicle which has failed to descend, mumps, orchitis or an atrophic testicle.
Men with a family history of testicular cancer are also found to have a higher risk of developing testicular cancer.
No link has been found between sporting strains and testicular cancer. However, as an injury can produce a lump in the testicle it can occasionally mask a tumour. It is important for patients who have an injury to their testicles to be checked until the swelling has disappeared.
What are the different types of testicular cancer?
Germ cell cancers are usually seminoma or teratoma. Please refer back to the main web page which will explain this is detail.
Are our children at risk?
Most testicular cancers are not inherited. They just happen and we don't know the reasons why. There is however, a family risk with testicular cancer. The risk is highest in those men with a blood relative i.e. fathers and brothers of men that have been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Will I die of this cancer?
Testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers with 90% success rates for Germ Cell tumours. Even for patients where the cancer has spread outside the testicle good response rates to chemotherapy are seen.
