According to the American Cancer Society, over 6,900 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed this year and over 300 men will die from the disease.

“Unfortunately, very few men understand the nature of this form of cancer or how to detect it,” says Dr. James L. Bailen, an urologist with Clark Memorial Hospital. “Most testicular cancers occur between the ages of 15 and 40, but can affect men of any age, including infants.”

Testicular cancer is a cancer that develops in one or both of the testicles in men or young boys. The testicles are a part of the male reproductive system located in a sack of skin called the scrotum. The testicles manufacture many male hormones, including testosterone, as well as produce sperm.

Over 90% of testicular cancers develop in certain cells in the testicle called germ or seed cells. Most of these cancers begin as a noninvasive form of the disease. If not detected early, however, the cancer becomes invasive and will penetrate the surrounding tissue and spread through the blood or lymph nodes to the rest of the body.

Though the exact cause of testicular cancer is not known, main known risk factors for the disease include a family history of the disease, Caucasian ethnicity, and cryptorchidism, or undescended testicles. As a result, testicular cancer can not currently be prevented.

However, if detected early, testicular cancer is one of the most curable forms of the disease. For stage I and II, there is a 95% five-year survival rate. For later stages, there is a 75% five-year survival rate.

In most of the cases, a man will have a painless lump on the testicle. Sometimes, the testicle will become enlarged, painful, or swollen.

“Unfortunately, some men experience no symptoms at all and discover they have testicular cancer while being tested for infertility or other medical test,” says Dr. Bailen. “Therefore self-examinations and yearly doctor visits are recommended.”

If testicular cancer is detected, there are several treatments available, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.

If a man is experiencing any of the above symptoms, he should consult with his doctor immediately, says Dr. Bailen. He should also discuss having annual physical examinations with his doctor.

If you would like more information on testicular cancer or would like to receive free information on testicular self-examinations, please call Clark Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Care Place at 283-2444 or log on to www.clarkmemorial.org.

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