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The Facts on Testicular Cancer

  • Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy in young men between the ages of 20 and 34. There are about 7500 new cases yearly, with approximately 350 deaths per year in the US.

  • Testicular cancer is more common in white men than black or Asian.

  • Although it accounts for only about 1 percent of all cancers in men, it is the number one cancer killer among men in their 20's and 30's.

  • Most testicular cancers are self-discovered by patients as a painless or uncomfortable lump in the testicle. About 1-3% of testicular neoplasms are bilateral.

  • Pure seminomas constitute roughly 40% of all testicular cancer cases. Forty percent of the testicular cancers have mixture of histology.

  • The cancer risk for boys with a history of undescended testicles is about 10-40 times higher than normal individuals. The risk of developing the disease was estimated at 1 out of 20 for a testis retained in the abdomen and 1 out of 80 if it was within the inguinal canal. The risk remains elevated after surgical correction. Both testis are at higher risk, not just the undescended one.

  • If found early, testicular cancer is almost always curable.

  • Early stage testicular cancer can be treated with surgery and radiation therapy. Late stage testicular cancer can be treated with the combination of surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.

  • The prognosis for men with testicular cancer is very good, even with late stage disease. The chances of recovery are excellent with surgery and radiotherapy for early stage disease. Combined modality is used for treatment of late stage disease with good results.

  • More than 90% of testicular cancer patients are cured by their initial treatment, and many of those who have recurrent disease can also be cured with chemotherapy or radiation.