What is testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common type of cancer for men. If not detected early, TC is potentially a fatal disease, mainly affecting men between the ages of 15 to 40 years of age. A very early sign of testicular cancer is usually a small, painless pea-sized lump on the testicle. The lump is not painful, but other symptoms may include a dull ache in the lower abdomen or groin, swelling or discomfort in the testicle, and a build-up of fluid in the scrotum area.
How is TC diagnosed?
If a lump is discovered by the doctor during a physical examination, the following tests are sure to be ordered to get an accurate diagnosis.
- Blood tests which will show the presence of cancer cells.
- An ultra sound of the scrotum can detect the presence and size of a tumour.
- A biopsy, which is a sample of tissue taken from the problem area of the testicle, can determine whether the lump is cancerous or benign.
- Self-examination is one of the best ways to spot the possible presence of TC. On a monthly basis, and ideally after a warm bath or shower, gently roll each testicle between the thumb and fingers of both hands. Don’t rush your self-examination – take at least 2 minutes to do a proper job. If you feel any lumps and bumps, or any swelling of a testicle or scrotum, contact your doctor for a thorough examination.
The good news is that research has shown that only about 5% of testicular lumps may be cancerous, and with early detection, testicular cancers are often curable in 90 to 95 percent of cases.
How Is testicular cancer usually treated?
If it is detected early, TC has a very high survival rate. Treatment for TC can involve surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy – or a combination of all three. Treatment can include:
- Surgical removal of the affected testicle is usually the first line of treatment, and if the cancer is in the early stages, it is all the treatment that may be needed.
- The operation site could also be specifically targeted and treated with a course of radiation therapy, to make sure that there are no lingering cancer cells.
- In the case of advanced TC, treatment may include a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, to prevent the tumour from spreading any further.
How testicular cancer may affect your sex life
Although symptoms of TC do not usually include any sexual dysfunction, there might be some changes in your sex life. Note that these changes are mostly of a temporary nature.
- After surgery, some men are not keen to engage in sexual activities for a few weeks, due to pain in the surgery area.
- Emotions about the diagnosis of TC, may cause feelings of fear and anxiety to rise about the treatment which may be required. This can also affect your libido.
- Chemo and radiation may result in a measure of temporary erectile dysfunction.
Fertility issues
The removal of one testicle may leave you feeling somewhat less of a man, but medical experts agree that this is mainly psychological.
As long as you still have one testicle, your sex life will not be unduly affected, and your fertility, even after chemo or radiation, should not be any different to the way it was before you developed testicular cancer.
However, if both testicles need to be removed, you will be infertile, as your body will not be able to produce any sperm.
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