Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer hits men where it hurts. Luckily, it's also a highly curable disease.

A self-exam is your first line of defense.

The testicular self-exam, or TSE, is a fast and painless check that every man—from teenagers on up—should do monthly after a shower. Though it's commonly thought that tenderness or aching would be associated with testicular cancer, a painless mass is the most common presentation. Read the simple guidelines for TSE at the American Cancer Society page here.

For a free TSE shower card, send a request to the Lance Armstrong Foundation at livestrong@laf.org.

Face it, fellas, you've been examining yourself unofficially for years. This time it could make a difference.

Testicular cancer is not synonymous with infertility.

Approximately 25 percent of testicular cancer patients experience fertility issues. Any cancer can negatively affect sperm characteristics, so even that minority percentage is not due to the disease existing in a reproductive organ. Chemotherapy, radiation and surgical treatments can also play a role in the quality or release of sperm. Nonetheless, many men go on to father healthy children even after cancer has metastasized (spread) and been treated.

Early detection simplifies—and nearly guarantees—a full recovery.

Detecting testicular cancer "early" means finding a tumor when it's restricted to the testis—what oncologists refer to as Stage 1. Of the two testicular cancer types, seminoma can be treated with low doses of radiation to cure 98 percent of all patients. Nonseminomas require chemotherapy, surgery or a combination of the two, but success rates are still above 95 percent according to the National Cancer Institute.

Cancer treatments have improved dramatically.

"The treatment for testicular cancer is more gentle than it was even a few years ago," says Dr. Dean Bajorin, a clinical expert in testicular cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. "For example, chemotherapy is now outpatient rather than inpatient, and the treatment is only nine to 12 weeks long, even in cases where the cancer has [spread]. I have men who are in law school, medical school, even men on the police force who are still able to work during treatment. … The newer medicines also prevent vomiting and nausea. The [treatments today] are not Draconian therapies, even if it's chemotherapy."

Your history provides clues to heightened risk.

Incidence of testicular cancer appears to be higher among men who have had an undescended or partially descended testicle. This condition, called cryptorchidism, is often corrected when boys are very young, and the cancer may not appear until decades later. Even if only one testicle was undescended, both testicles are at increased risk. A history of hernias during childhood is also associated with the disease.

Testicular cancer is on the increase.

Only 1 percent of the male population gets testicular cancer, but it is still the most common cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 39. For reasons unknown, white men are more susceptible than black men. According to the National Cancer Institute, the testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years.

To learn more about testicular cancer, see this detailed guide at the American Cancer Society, or order the guide by calling 1-800-ACS-2345. Also, visit the National Cancer Institute's Web site and check out our articles here at MSN Health & Fitness.

Thank you to Dr. Dean Bajorin of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center for providing background and guidance.

Find more on MSN Health & Fitness:

• Guys, Be Sure to Check Yourselves
• What Causes Tenderness in the Testicles?