Cancer Types – Testicular Cancer
Contents
Testicular Cancer: Overview
Testicular cancer begins when healthy cells in a testicle change and grow out of control, forming a mass called a tumor. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to other parts of the body.
Another name for testicular cancer is testis cancer.
About the testicles
The testicles are part of a man’s reproductive system. Each man has 2 testicles, and they are located under the penis in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum. They can also be called testes or gonads. The testicles produce sperm and testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone that plays a role in the development of a man’s reproductive organs and other characteristics.
About testicular cancer
Most types of testicular cancer develop in the sperm-producing cells known as germ cells and are referred to as germ cell tumors. Germ cell tumors in men can start in several parts of the body:
- The testicles, which is the most common location
- The back of the abdomen near the spine, called the retroperitoneum
- The central portion of the chest between the lungs, called the mediastinum
- The lower spine
- Very rarely, a small gland in the brain called the pineal gland
Testicular cancer is almost always curable if found early, and it is usually curable even when at a later stage.
Types of testicular cancer
There are 2 main categories of germ cell tumors that start in the testicles.
- Seminoma
- Non-seminoma. A non-seminoma contains any of the following in the tissue:
- Choriocarcinoma
- Embryonal carcinoma
- Yolk sac tumor
- Teratoma
Each of these can occur alone or in any combination. Sometimes, seminoma can be found as part of a non-seminoma at any percentage level. For example, a tumor that is 99% seminoma and 1% yolk sac tumor is still diagnosed and treated as a non-seminoma.
Generally, non-seminomas tend to grow and spread more quickly than seminomas, but prompt diagnosis and treatment are important for both types of tumors. Many germ cell tumors are a mixture of teratoma and other types of germ cell tumors.
Other, less common types of testicular tumors include:
- Leydig cell tumor
- Sertoli cell tumor
- Carcinoma of the rete testis, which is a part of the testicles
- Testicular lymphoma
This article provides information only on seminoma and non-seminoma of the testicles in men who have reached puberty. Testicular cancer is uncommon in boys who have not yet reached puberty. Childhood testicular cancer is managed differently than cancer in teenagers who have been through puberty and adult men.
Other types of cancer, such as lymphoma and leukemia, occasionally spread to the testicles. To find out more about cancer that started in another part of the body and spread to the testicles, read about that specific type of cancer.
Read more about testicular cancer here.