Spotlight on testicular cancer The testes are two small organs found inside the scrotum, the pouch of skin behind the penis. They are part of the male reproductive system and are responsible for making sperm and are involved in producing a hormone called testosterone. Testosterone is an important hormone during male development and maturation and aids development of muscles, deepening of the voice, and growth of body hair.
30
928
estimated diagnoses
estimated deaths
in Australia in 2020
will result from testicular cancer in 2020
What is testicular cancer? Cancer that develops in a testicle is called testicular cancer or cancer of the testis. Usually only one testicle is affected, but in some cases both. About 90 to 95 per cent of testicular cancers start in the cells that develop into sperm - these are known as germ cells.
The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with testicular cancer is close to 97.2 per cent. And in 2020, it is estimated there will be 30 deaths from testicular cancer.
Testicular cancer symptoms
Compared with other types of cancer, testicular cancer is rare. But testicular cancer is the second most common cancer in young men (aged 18 to 39) excluding non-melanoma skin cancer. However, this form of cancer is highly treatable, even when cancer has spread beyond the testicle.
Testicular cancer may cause no symptoms. The most common symptom is a painless swelling or a lump in a testicle.
It is estimated only 928 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in Australia in 2020. This equates to 1% of all cancers in men. For Australian men, the risk of being diagnosed with testicular cancer by the age of 90 is 1 in 192. The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has grown by more than 50% over the past 30 years, however the reason for this is not known.
• Change in the size or shape of the testicle;
Germ cell tumours are the most common testicular cancers. Under a microscope there are two main types that are quite different when observed – seminoma and non-seminoma cells. Seminoma cells usually occur in men aged 25-45 but can also occur in men over the age of 60 or at any age. This form of testicular cancer develops more slowly than non-seminoma cancers. The faster developing, rarer form of testicular cancer occurs in younger men in their late teens and early 20s.
40 A LITTLE BELOW THE BELT
Less common symptoms include: • Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum;
• P ain or ache in the lower abdomen, the testicle or scrotum; • Back pain; • Feeling of unevenness; • T enderness or tenderness of the breast tissue (due to hormones created by cancer cells).
