Testicular cancer mainly affects young people; know the symptoms

O testicular cancer comprises 5% of tumors that affect man. The rare disease mainly affects men of working age – between 15 and 50 years old, according to the National Cancer Institute (Inca).

The campaign Blue november promotes awareness of human health care and emphasizes the importance of periodic medical follow-up for the early diagnosis of diseases.

The signs and symptoms of testicular cancer can be confused with those of other conditions that affect the genital region, delaying proper diagnosis.

Disease evolution

O testicular cancer has an aggressive profile , with a rapid capacity for evolution due to the high rate of duplication of tumor cells. Early diagnosis reduces the chances of metastasis, which is the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.

O The most common sign of the disease is the appearance of a lump , or lump, with a hard and usually painless appearance. Others changes in the testicles may indicate the presence of the tumor, such as an increase or decrease in the size of the gland or hardening of the gland.

Patients may also experience unexplained pain in the lower abdomen, blood in the urine, and nipple enlargement or tenderness.

Know the risk factors

Risk factors associated with testicular cancer include a family history of the disease, particularly first-degree relatives such as a father or siblings. Patients who previously had a tumor in the other testicle are more likely to develop the disease.

Men with a condition called cryptorchidism, which is when one or both testicles do not descend into the scrotum, are also at increased risk for the condition.

Testicular cancer diagnosis

To detect cancer early, men should have their testicles self-examined periodically.

“The act of palpating the testicle from the age of 20 and, at any sign of a lump, looking for a doctor is our greatest strategy for early detection,” said Dr Franz Campos, head of the Inca Urology Section. .

Changes in markers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), beta HCG and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), identified by blood tests, can also indicate the presence of testicular cancer.

The diagnosis is made from the combination of clinical evaluation, blood tests and imaging such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging of the scrotum.

“Imaging tests allow the observation of the nodule, which is normally well vascularized. Cancer has this characteristic of feeding on new vessels, which makes the growth very exacerbated”, explains Campos.

Confirmation of the diagnosis can be made during surgery by the pathologist. In the same procedure, the affected testicle is removed and a silicone prosthesis is inserted in order to maintain the same aesthetic appearance of the gland.

Removal of the testicle does not impair the patient’s sexual function. Reproductive capacity is also maintained as long as the other testicle is healthy.

How is testicular cancer treated?

Treatment varies according to the case and can be performed by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or clinical follow-up. The choice depends on investigation, which assesses the presence or possibility of spreading the disease to other organs.

After the testicle is removed, patients undergo an analysis called technically staging, which investigates the presence of the disease in other parts of the body.

in the situation of metastasis , testicular cancer can affect the abdomen region, lungs and brain. Therefore, doctors perform CT scans of the abdomen and chest and, eventually, the skull.

“In this CT scan, if nodules are identified in the abdomen or lungs, we start chemotherapy. The first phase of treatment uses a medication called platinum. The response to chemotherapy, if there is little disease in the abdomen and chest, is above 90%”, explains Campos.

In more severe cases, which do not completely respond to chemotherapy, patients undergo surgery to resect the remaining tumors.