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Originally published November 5, 2024
Last updated November 5, 2024
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Testicular cancer is uncommon, but it most often happens in young patients. And it’s one of the leading cancer diagnoses in males aged 20-39 — a time of life when cancer is often far from people’s minds.
It’s also highly survivable when caught early, with a five-year survival rate of 95% and a cure rate of 90%, according to experts.
However, if left undiagnosed or untreated, testicular cancer can become life-threatening by metastasizing and spreading to the rest of the body. The experts of USC Urology, part of Keck Medicine of USC, share what you need to do to catch testicular cancer early on, when it’s easiest to treat.
Testicular cancer can develop in males of all ages, but it’s most common in people between the ages of 20 and 39. Additional risk factors include:
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless lump or abnormal swelling of the testicle. Occasionally, men will notice:
Doctors recommend that people at high risk for testicular cancer begin monthly self-exams after puberty starts to catch any abnormalities as early as possible.
You should not feel any pain during the exam. If you feel pain that doesn’t go away with a gentler touch, or you feel any soreness or heaviness, call your doctor as soon as you can.
It’s important to remember that many things can cause swelling or a lump on the testicle, and they also require medical attention. If you find anything that doesn’t seem normal, call your doctor for a physical exam. They may also order blood tests (such as those that identify tumor markers related to testicular cancer) or perform an ultrasound to confirm the underlying cause.
If you want to learn more about risk factors or self-exams, or you’ve found an abnormality, the experts of USC Urology can help.
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