Testicular cancer is a malignancy of the male testicles. In the developed world, the incidence of testicular cancer is increasing every year. Although several risk factors have been identified, the cause of testicular cancer remains unknown. Chemotherapy has revolutionised the treatment and prognosis of this cancer, giving it the highest cure rate for any solid tumour. This article aims to inform readers of the signs and symptoms of testicular cancer that may be encountered during a busy consultation, and the most effective way of referring a suspected malignancy to secondary care. It also discusses potential complications and sequelae of treatment, as well as the role of testicular self-examination in practice.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
American Joint Committee on Cancer (1997) Testis. In: Fleming, I., Cooper, J., Henson, D., Hutter, R., Kennedy, J., Murphy, G., …, Yarbro, J. (eds) AJCC cancer staging manual, Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers, pp. 225–230.
2.
BreadenK. (1997) Cancer and beyond: The question of survivorship. Journal of Advanced Nursing26(5): 978–984. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1997.00432.
ChappleA.McPhersonA. (2004) The decision to have a prosthesis: A qualitative study of men with testicular cancer. Psycho-Oncology13(9): 654–664. doi: 10.1002/pon.787.
6.
ChappleA.ZieblandS.McPhersonA. (2004) Qualitative study of men’s perceptions of why treatment delays occur in the UK for those with testicular cancer. British Journal of General Practice54(498): 25–32. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1314774/pdf/14965403.pdf.
7.
EbleJ. N.SauterG.EpsteinJ. I.SesterhennI. A. (2004) World Health Organization classification of tumours. Pathology and genetics of tumours of the urinary system and male genital organs, Lyon, France: IARC PressRetrieved from www.iarc.fr/en/publications/pdfs-online/pat-gen/bb7/BB7.pdf.
FeldmanD. R.BoslG. J.SheinfeldJ.MotzerR. J. (2008) Medical treatment of advanced testicular cancer. Journal of the American Medical Association299(6): 672–684. doi: 10.1001/jama.299.6.672.
10.
Hayes-LattinB.NicholsC. R. (2009) Testicular cancer: A prototypic tumor of young adults. Seminars in Oncology36(5): 432–438. doi: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2009.07.006.
11.
HemminkimK.LiX. (2004) Familial risk in testicular cancer as a clue to a heritable and environmental aetiology. British Journal of Cancer90(9): 1765–1770. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6601714.
12.
IncrocciL.HopW. C. J.WijnmaalenA.SlobA. K. (2002) Treatment outcome, body image, and sexual functioning after orchiectomy and radiotherapy for stage I-II testicular seminoma. International Journal of Radiation, Oncology, Biology and Physics53: 1165–1173. doi: 10.1016/s0360-3016(02)02849-3.
NICE. (2005). Referral guidelines for suspected cancer: Urological cancer. Retrieved from www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng12.
17.
PearsonS. (2003) Promoting sexual health services to young men: Findings from focus group discussions. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care29(4): 194–198. doi: 10.1783/147118903101198079.
18.
PetterssonA.RichiardiL.NordenskjoldA.KaijserM.AkreO. (2007) Age at surgery for undescended testis and risk of testicular cancer. New England Journal of Medicine356(18): 1835–1841. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa067588.
RudbergL.CarlssonM.NilssonS.WikbladK. (2002) Self-perceived physical, psychologic, and general symptoms in survivors of testicular cancer 3 to 13 years after treatment. Cancer Nursing25(3): 187–195. doi: 10.1097/00002820-200206000-00003.
21.
ShawJ. (2008) Diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer. American Family Physician. 15, 77(4), 469–474. Retrieved from www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0215/p469.html.
22.
SwerdlowA. J.HigginsC. D.PikeM. C. (1997) Risk of testicular cancer in cohort of boys with cryptochordism. BMJ315(7116): 1129, doi: 10.1136/bmj.314.7093.1507.
