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Testicular Cancer -
Common Ailment in men
Testicular Cancer develops when the normal
cells in the testicles start behaving in an abnormal
way, and lead to an abnormal rate of growth.
Testicles are the male reproductive organs located
inside the scrotum, in the form of a loose bag of skin
underneath the penis. They produce the sex hormones
and sperm for reproduction. Testicular cancer develops
in both the testicles in men.
Causes of Testicular Cancer
Men born with an undescended testicle (one that remains
in the abdominal cavity rather than descending into
the scrotum) may be at greater risk of developing the
Testicular cancer. Having a family history of testicle
cancer, fertility problems and being from a wealthier
social group increase ones risk of testicular cancer.
Having a rare complication of mumps in which testicles
get swelled up. Men infected with HIV and AIDS are at
greater risk of developing testicle cancer
Most common Symptom of Testicular Cancer
- A lump on either testicle which may be a little
uncomfortable
- Swelling or enlargement of the testicles
- In rare cases, breast swelling or development has
also been reported
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- A dull ache in the groin area
- A sudden collection of fluids in the scrotum
- A feeling of fatigue and general illness
- Inflammation of testicles
Diagnosis Testicular Cancer
Medical history has to be discussed with the doctor
if anyone in your family has had testicle cancer. Physical
examination will be carried out to check for any change
of appearance in the testicles and for any lumps.
Ultrasound may be recommended by the doctor to take
a closer look at the testicles. A specialist has to
be seen who will find out if the lump is due to cancer
or any other cause.
CT scan may be recommended to check the growth of cancer.
Chest X-ray is done to find out the extent of cancer.
PET scan is done in which radioactive glucose is absorbed
by the cancer cells. Scanning radioactive glucose deposits
can indicate cancers. MRI scan uses magnetic rays, which
are used by computer to produce a detailed image of
the parts of the body
Blood tests are carried out to rule out any other infections
and check for abnormal cells. A biopsy may be carried
out to take the sample of the infected cells and check
for abnormal growth.
Testicular Cancer Treatment
Surgery
Radical inguinal orchiectomy is the surgery, which involves
removing one or both testicles through a cut in the
groin. Lymph nodes in the abdomen also may be removed.
If just one cancerous testicle is removed, there's a
small chance that the other will become cancerous at
some point.
Radiation and chemotherapy
External beam radiation therapy uses high-dose X-rays
or other high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells outside the
testicle. This drug therapy is usually given by infusions
into your veins.
Other methods of treatment
Surgery may be done in combination with radiation therapy
or chemotherapy or both. It depends on the type and
the stage of your cancer. Bone marrow is extracted from
you, treated with drugs to kill any cancer cells, and
then frozen. The frozen marrow is then thawed and injected
back into you through a needle in a vein. This is a
relatively new treatment showing promising initial results.
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