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  1. Basics
  2. Symptoms
  3. Diagnosis
  4. Treatment
  5. Prevention
  6. Knowledge Center

Our Approach

A team of experts targets each patient's testicular cancer, providing customized care to match your unique disease and circumstances. These highly focused physicians, as well as a specially trained support staff, personalize your care to ensure the most-advanced treatments with the least impact on your body.

As one of the nation's most active cancer centers, MD Anderson sees many more patients with testicular cancer than does the average oncologist. This translates to an extraordinary level of expertise, which can mean higher chances for successful treatment.

And at MD Anderson you're surrounded by the strength of one of the nation's largest and most experienced comprehensive cancer centers, which has all the support and wellness services needed to treat the whole person – not just the disease.

Knowledge and Experience

Treatment for testicular cancer frequently requires surgery. Procedures, especially those to remove lymph glands, are delicate and require a high level of skill.

Our surgeons are among the most experienced in testicular cancer in the nation. They employ the latest techniques, which may mean less recovery time, fewer side effects, and faster healing for many patients. MD Anderson surgeons also have extensive experience in advanced nerve-sparing techniques.

If testicular cancer spreads, strong doses of chemotherapy may be needed. Our experienced oncologists take great care in selecting the best treatment for you. If a stem-cell transplant is necessary, MD Anderson offers one of the premier programs in the nation.

Pioneering Research

As one of the world's largest cancer research centers, There is leading investigations into new methods of testicular cancer diagnosis and treatment. You benefit from the most advanced research, and we're able to offer clinical trials (research studies) of new therapies for testicular cancer.

Symptoms of testicular cancer vary from man to man. Signs you may have testicular cancer include:

  • Small, hard lump that is often painless
  • Change in consistency of the testicles
  • Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
  • Dull ache in the lower abdomen or the groin
  • Sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
  • Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum
  • Breast growth or loss of sexual desire
  • In boys, growth of facial and body hair at an abnormally young age
  • Lower back pain if cancer spreads

These symptoms do not always mean you have testicular cancer. However, it is important to discuss any symptoms with your doctor, since they may signal other health problems.

If you have testicular cancer, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis to help increase your chances for successful treatment. At MD Anderson, our specialized experts use the most modern and accurate technology to diagnose testicular cancer and pinpoint the extent (stage) of the disease.

When an ultrasound shows a mass in your testicle, it is likely your doctor will perform a surgical removal of the testicle (orchiectomy). An incision is made in the groin rather than the scrotum, to avoid possibly spreading cancer cells. A tissue sample from the testicle is examined under a microscope to determine the presence of testicular cancer cells and the stage of the disease.

Other Testicular Cancer Diagnostic Tests

If you have symptoms that may signal testicular cancer, your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your health, lifestyle, and family history.

One or more of the following tests may be used to find out if you have testicular cancer and if it has spread. These tests also may be used to find out if treatment is working.

Blood tests: Special blood tests that detect certain protein "markers" are used to diagnose and find out the extent of testicular cancer before and after orchiectomy. These tests include:

  • Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP): Elevated levels of this protein, which normally is produced by a fetus in the womb, may indicate the presence of a germ cell tumor in men.
  • Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (b-HCG): Increased levels of this protein, normally found in pregnant women, can indicate the presence of several types of cancer, including testicular cancer.
  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): This enzyme is related to increased energy production by the body's cells and tissues, which sometimes can indicate cancer.

Our Treatment Approach

Treatment for testicular cancer at MD Anderson focuses on the most modern techniques in surgery, chemotherapy and other therapies. We customize your treatment to include the most-advanced procedures with the least impact on your body.

Our renowned team of experts considers all the options, and then choose the best course of action specifically for you. Your personalized testicular cancer treatment may include:

  • Surgery by a dedicated team of urologists, vascular surgeons, and anesthesiologists with expertise in this complex cancer
  • Special nerve-sparing surgical procedures to retain as much function as possible
  • The most modern restoration and prosthetic techniques
  • Dose-dense chemotherapy, which allows a higher level of drugs to be given and may help prevent stem cell transplant in some patients
  • Stem cell transplants at one of the premier programs in the country

Experience Matters

Because MD Anderson is one of the nation’s largest cancer centers, we see a much greater number of patients with testicular cancer than do most oncologists. This is particularly important in surgery for testicular cancer, which is delicate, challenging and requires a great deal of expertise.

Studies have shown that the effectiveness of surgical treatment for testicular cancer depends a great deal on the number of procedures the surgeon has performed.

And because we are a major cancer research center, we are able to offer clinical trials of new treatments for some types of testicular cancer.

Testicular Cancer Screening

Cancer screening exams are important medical tests done when you’re at risk but don’t have symptoms. They help find cancer at its earliest stage, when the chances for successful treatment are highest.

Unfortunately, no standardized screening tests have been shown to improve testicular cancer outcomes. However, here at MD Anderson, we’re working to develop screening tests for those at risk.

Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves, either unintentionally or through self-examination. If you notice anything unusual about your testicles, be sure to consult a doctor. Examination of the testicles should be part of your annual physical exam.

Testicular Cancer Risk Factors

Anything that increases your chance of getting testicular cancer is a risk factor. These include:

  • Age: Most cases occur between the ages of 15 and 40, and testicular cancer is the type of cancer found most often in men ages 20 to 34
  • Race: White men are 5 to 10 times more likely to develop testicular cancer than men of other races
  • Family or personal history of testicular cancer
  • Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism): Men with testicles that did not move down into the scrotum before birth are at increased risk. Men who had surgery to correct this condition are still at high risk of testicular cancer.
  • Abnormal testicular development
  • Klinefelter's syndrome: A sex chromosome disorder characterized by low levels of male hormones, sterility, breast enlargement, and small testes.
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS
  • Previous treatment for testicular cancer

Not everyone with risk factors gets testicular cancer. However, if you have risk factors, it’s a good idea to discuss them with your doctor.

Contact Us

TATA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Dr. E Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai - 400 012 India
Phone: +91-22- 24177000, 24177300, 24161413
Fax: +91-22-24146937
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