Movember aims to raise awareness regarding men’s health, seeking to prevent men dying too young. This includes raising awareness regarding testicular cancer, which is the most common cancer in young men. If caught early enough, more than 95% of individuals survive.

What is testicular cancer?

This cancer is found in the testicles and is most common in men ages 15 – 49. Each year in the UK, around 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer. The testicles are 2 small oval-shaped organs which hang below the penis in a pouch of skin called the scrotum. The testicles make sperm and testosterone.

Sometimes testicular cancer can spread to lymph nodes at the back of the abdomen. These are called the retroperitoneal lymph nodes.

It is not known what causes testicular cancer but there are known factors which increase the risk, including:

• Having undescended testicles – the risk is increased even if you had surgery to bring down the testicles
• Having a family history of testicular cancer
• Having carcinoma in situ, which is when there are abnormal cells in the testicle.
• Having cancer in the other testicle
• Testicular cancer is more common in white men than in African Caribbean or Asian men.
• Being HIV positive

There is no evidence to suggest that injury to a testicle increases your risk of getting testicular cancer, nor does having a vasectomy increase the risk.

Symptoms of testicular cancer

Symptoms that arise from testicular cancer can include:

• a lump or swelling in your testicle
• your testicle getting bigger
• an ache or pain in your testicle or scrotum
• your scrotum feeling heavy, firm or hard

Other symptoms, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, can include:

· an ache or pain in your back or lower tummy

• losing weight without trying
• a cough
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• a sore or swollen chest

How do you get diagnosed with testicle cancer?

If you present with any of the above symptoms, you would need to attend on your GP. Some of these symptoms can be common to other conditions affecting the testicles and therefore, if you have any of these symptoms, it does not mean you have testicular cancer but it is important to seek medical attention so that you can be checked over.

During this appointment with your GP, they should ask about your health, conduct a physical examination of the testicles and lymph nodes at the top of the legs.

If the GP considers it appropriate, a referral to a specialist will be done so that blood tests and an ultrasound scan can be performed.

If testicular cancer is diagnosed, you may need a CT scan or MRI scan to ascertain the extent of the cancer, which will help to inform treatment options.

What is the treatment for testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer is usually treatable if it is diagnosed early. Treatment will usually include surgery to remove the testicle in question, which is called orchidectomy. As part of the surgery, you may be given the choice to have an artificial testicle put in.

Other treatment options include chemotherapy; this can be offered after surgery to help stop the cancer coming back or if the cancer has come back or spread to other parts of your body. Radiotherapy may be offered if you have a certain type of testicular cancer and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in your abdomen.

If you have advanced testicular cancer, it may not be possible to cure the cancer. If this is the case, the aim of treatment is to limit the cancer and its symptoms and extend life for as long as possible.

If there is delay in diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer, it can result in progression of the disease which would have otherwise been avoided. This can impact your treatment options and it could mean that fertility is impacted. In such circumstances, you may be able to bring a claim for clinical negligence. The key question is usually not simply whether the cancer was diagnosed late, but whether earlier action would probably have changed the outcome.

If you or a family member is concerned that there may have been a delay in diagnosing testicular cancer, our clinical negligence team can review the circumstances and advise on the next steps in a clear and sensitive way.