When cells grow out of control, it results in cancer. Even if one or a group of cells outs of the millions in our body multiplies abnormally, we call those cells cancerous. The testes or testicles are a part of the male reproductive system, and cancer that starts in this organ is termed as testicular cancer.
Testicles are held inside a sac called the scrotum and are found under the penis. The main function of the testicles is to produce male hormones and sperm. As of today, scientists have not found a conclusive cause for testicular cancer, but doctors generally agree on risk factors that could increase an individual’s risk of developing this condition.
Risk factors for testicular cancer
Some of the high-risk factors are:
- Male babies born with abnormalities in the kidneys, penis, or testes.
- Male babies born with undescended testicles. This condition is called cryptorchidism.
- Males who have a hernia in the groin at birth.
- Men who have close blood relatives who have been affected by testicular cancer.
- Men who have had testicular cancer in one testicle are at risk of developing cancer in the other testicle too.
- Other illness in the testes, like Klinefelter’s syndrome, could lead to abnormal growth in the testes.
- Ethnicity too is linked to an increase in the risk involved. Caucasian men are at higher risk as compared to African or Asian men.
- A rare disease called mumps orchitis can cause swelling of the testicles.
Types of testicular cancer
In most cases, testicular cancer starts in the germ cells which produce immature sperm cells. The main types of germ cell tumors are seminomas and nonseminomas. Testicular cancer could include seminomas and non-seminomas, or in some case, both types of germ cell tumors.
Seminomas can be further classified into two types:
- Classical seminoma is the cause of about 95% of seminomas in men aged 25-45.
- Spermatocytic seminomas appear in men over the age of 65. It is a rare form of cancer that grows slowly and rarely spreads to the other parts of the body.
Non-seminomas affect younger patients and spread faster to other parts of the body. The types of non-seminoma tumors are:
- Embryonal carcinoma: The cancerous cells resemble the embryo. This form of cancer grows rapidly and spreads to other parts of the body as well. Four out ten testicular cancer cases are of embryonal carcinoma
- Malignant teratoma: They are mixed cell tumors and are more common in adult men. This type of testicular cancer spreads rapidly to the tissues near the testicles. They are likely to recur even after surgery.
- Choriocarcinoma: This rare form of cancer affects older men and could spread to other organs like lungs, bones, and brain. This type of tumor is a cause for concern and needs to be treated as soon as possible.
- Yolk sac tumor: The cells resemble the yolk sac of a human embryo. It is the most common type of testicular cancer in young boys and can be treated successfully. This tumor can be a cause of concern for adults if it is not diagnosed in the early stages.
