Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is a cancer that develops in the testicles. With the right treatment plan, most testicular cancers can be cured.

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Testicular cancer, or testes cancer, is a cancer that develops in the tissues of one or both testicles. The testicles are part of the male reproductive system and are responsible for making male hormones and sperm. Most testicular cancers can be treated effectively and offer a high likelihood of recovery.

Expert, personalized testicular cancer care

At University of Iowa Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, we provide expert, personalized care for people with testicular cancer. Our multidisciplinary team of specialists in urologic cancers work together to create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you using the most advanced, evidence-based therapies available.

We also offer access to leading fertility experts with extensive experience in male infertility and fertility preservation. Whether you're thinking about starting a family now or in the future, we can help you make informed decisions about your reproductive goals.

Risk factors for testicular cancer

Men of all races and ages can get testicular cancer, but it’s most common in white men between the ages of 20 and 35.

Additional risk factors for testicular cancer include:

A family history of testicular cancer

An HIV infection

Cryptorchidism (one or both testicles are undescended)

Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer

Many men discover their own testicular cancer by finding a lump in their testicles.

You should do a self-exam for testicular cancer regularly. This gives you a better chance of finding testicular cancer before it can spread. The best time to do a self-exam is after a warm bath or shower, using your fingers and thumb to hold each testicle and feel it gently.

During your self-exam, check for:

Lumps, no matter how small

Changes in the size or shape of your testicles

Other signs of testicular cancer to watch for:

Any pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum, the skin that holds the testicles

A dull ache in your abdomen, back, or groin

A sudden feeling of fluid in your scrotum

A feeling of heaviness in your scrotum

How testicular cancer is diagnosed

If you think you’ve found a sign of testicular cancer, your provider will perform a physical examination and a review of your health and family history.

If additional testing is needed, they may recommend one or more of the following:

Blood tests. Some testicular cancers produce high levels of proteins called tumor markers. A blood test can measure the level of these proteins in your body to help your provider diagnose your cancer.

Ultrasound. Ultrasounds produce images of the inside of your body, allowing your provider to better tell if the lump is a cancerous tumor or caused by other conditions such as hydrocele (swelling due to fluid) or varicocele (swelling due to enlarged blood vessels).

Computed tomography (CT). These scans can help your provider see how advanced your cancer is and if it has spread to other organs or tissues.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These scans can help your provider see if your cancer may have spread to other areas of the body, specifically the brain and spinal cord.

If your provider finds signs of cancer, you may undergo a biopsy. Biopsy is a surgery to remove a small piece of tissue that will be viewed under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

Cancer patient in hallway at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

Every cancer diagnosis is unique.

That’s why getting a second opinion matters. Our cancer experts can confirm your diagnosis and help you understand all your treatment options.

Learn more about getting a second opinion

Treatments for testicular cancer

Your multidisciplinary care team will work together to choose the best treatment options for you and your cancer. Together, they will create a personalized treatment plan to address your needs.

Surgery to remove the testicle (also known as a radical inguinal orchiectomy) is the most effective treatment for testicular cancer. After the surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be recommended to kill any cancer cells that may remain in your body and decrease the likelihood of it returning.

We also offer clinical trials of the latest therapies. Our providers also are testicular cancer researchers who participate in studies of promising new therapies. They make these treatments available to Holden patients before they’re widely available on the market.

Comprehensive fertility care for testicular cancer patients

Even if you have testicular cancer, you can preserve your ability to have children later. Our providers have special expertise in fertility preservation so you can save your sperm before your surgery or chemotherapy.

You can get cancer in one testicle or in both testicles at the same time. If you have one testicle removed, you will most likely not be impotent (unable to achieve an erection) or be unable to have children later. The remaining testicle will still make sperm and testosterone. You may need to take medications if your testosterone level drops below normal.

If both testicles are removed, you will no longer be able to produce sperm or testosterone and won’t be able to biologically produce children. Many men choose to preserve some of their sperm in a sperm bank before having testicles removed so they can father children later.