|  | Cancer | Testicular Cancer

Signs & Symptoms of Advanced Testicular Cancer

In the realm of diseases, almost nothing frightens patients as much as the prospect of cancer. Attacking the most private areas of our anatomy, gender-specific cancers such as testicular cancer can be particularly alarming. What happens when we, for whatever reason, fail to detect the cancer at an early stage? Read on to discover the signs and symptoms of advanced testicular cancer and illuminating statistics about the prognosis.

  1. What Is Cancer?

    • According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, cancer is defined as " a malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis." Cancer is one's body turning against itself as portions of the cell structure mutate from the original patterns and begin multiplying at an advanced rate while spreading throughout the host. Testicular cancer is a malignant growth that has its origin in the testicles.

    About Testicular Cancer

    • The good news is that testicular cancer is fairly rare--the American Cancer Society places the odds of a man developing it at 1 in 300. Even better news is that this is a cancer we understand and can consistently beat. The odds of dying from testicular cancer are very low--1 in 5,000. Obviously the best defense is a good offense, so when detected early (before cancer spreads beyond the localized testicle), survival rate is 99 percent. But, even in its most advanced stages, where the cancer has spread beyond the lymph node system, chances of surviving are still 71 percent.

    Advanced Symptoms

    • Signs of advanced testicular cancer include lack of energy, shortness of breath, headache, dementia, sweating for no identifiable reason, pain in the abdomen and/or lower back, coughing, chest pain, or a general feeling of malaise. Many other diseases and conditions can mirror the outward symptoms of testicular cancer, and a thorough medical exam and testing may rule out cancer as a cause.

    Basic Symptoms

    • Localized symptoms of testicular cancer in any stage include a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or a change in the way a testicle feels, aches in the groin or lower abdomen, the appearance of a small painless lump on a testicle, or blood/fluid accumulation in the scrotum. These signs are indicia that you should schedule a doctor's appointment at your earliest convenience.

    Considerations

    • Other possible conditions manifesting similar symptoms include a varicocele, orchitis, epididymitis, spermatocele and hydrocele. Remember that a positive outlook on treatment can assist in making a full recovery. And even if it is cancer, testicular cancer remains one of the most treatable forms. Early detection will always increase the likelihood of a favorable prognosis, so always be proactive about reporting worrisome symptoms to your doctor.

Testicular Cancer - Related Articles