Testicular cancer is cancer that starts in the testicles, the male reproductive glands located in the scrotum.
Alternative Names
Cancer - testes; Germ cell tumor; Seminoma testicular cancer; Nonseminoma testicular cancer
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The exact cause of testicular cancer is unknown. There is no link between vasectomy and testicular cancer. Factors that may increase a man's risk for testicular cancer include:
Other possible causes include exposure to certain chemicals and HIV infection. A family history of testicular cancer may also increase risk.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 35. It can occur in older men, and rarely, in younger boys.
White men are more likely than African-American and Asian-American men to develop this type of cancer.
There are two main types of testicular cancer: seminomas and nonseminomas. These cancers grow from germ cells, the cells that make sperm.
Seminoma: This is a slow-growing form of testicular cancer usually found in men in their 30s and 40s. The cancer is usually just in the testes, but it can spread to the lymph nodes. Seminomas are very sensitive to radiation therapy.
Nonseminoma: This more common type of testicular cancer tends to grow more quickly than seminomas. Nonseminoma tumors are often made up of more than one type of cell, and are identified according to these different cell types:
Leydig cell tumor (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A Leydig cell tumor is a tumor of the testicle. It develops from Leydig cells-- the cells in the testicles that release the male hormone, testosterone.The cause of this tumor is unknown. Reviewer: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 06/10/2008
Testosterone (1 image)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
A testosterone test measures the amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood.Blood is typically drawn from a vein, usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The site is cleaned with germ-killing medicine(antiseptic). Reviewer: Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 03/18/2008
Testicular failure (2 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Testicular failure is the inability of the testicles to produce sperm or male hormones.Reviewer: Robert Hurd, MD, Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 04/26/2007
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