Testicular Cancer: Expert details main sign and symptoms
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Testicular cancer occurs when abnormal cells in one or both of the testicles start growing abnormally, sometimes leading to the formation of a tumour. This is likely to produce several bodily changes, but not all can easily be picked up by the eye. According to one expert, 90 percent of patients present with a pea-sized lump, which in many cases will be painless.
The cancer organisation Orchid states that “unlike many cancer, there are few known strong risk factors for testicular cancer.
“While most of these cancers occur in unsuspecting individuals, some risk factors can be traced in a minority of cases”.
The signs and symptoms will also differ for each case, but some warning signs are more significantly common than others.
Orchid states: “A small pea-sized lump can be felt in around 90 percent of cases and in over 80 percent of cases this will be painless”.
Occasionally, breast swelling may occur following an imbalance in the hormones produced by some testicular cancers.
“Similar symptoms can be caused simply by body changes during puberty (growing pains),” adds the health body.
This may be accompanied by back in the pain triggered by the gradual enlargement of lymph nodes.
Navin Khosla, Superintendent Pharmacist FROM MARS, stresses the importance of checking the testicles regularly for suspicious lumps.
He said: “If you notice any of the warning signs then it’s important to contact your doctor as they can carry out further examinations and tests.
“It’s more likely you won’t have testicular cancer but seeking professional advice means that any growth can be dealt with sooner rather than later and your treatment can start swiftly.”
Despite being a less common cancer, it remains one of the most prevalent forms of cancer among men aged 15 to 35.
A great number of these patients will experience obvious warning signs, but this isn’t always the case, according to the pharmacist.
He continued: “Several of the most common warning signs of testicular cancer can be easily noticed, such as pain or a lump, but this isn’t the case for all and some of the symptoms aren’t easy to discover […].
“[This] is why it’s important to check your testicles at least once a month.”
Although it is rare, testicular cancer can sometimes be fatal once it has spread to surrounding tissue.
However, the cure rate is high even among those with advanced disease, at around 80 percent.
In fact, testicular cancer is deemed one of the most treatable forms of cancer, with a cure rate of more than 96 percent among men diagnosed in the early stages.
Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the affected testicle, though in some cases chemotherapy or radiotherapy is required.
A diagnosis is based on the findings of physical examinations which comprise an ultrasound scan and blood tests.
If the results of these tests come back positive, they will need to be confirmed by a subsequent biopsy of the tumour tissue, to be checked for cancer cells.
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