Testicular Cancer
What Is Testicular Cancer?
Testicles (testes) are male sex glands that make and store sperm.
Testicular malignancies are cancers that start in one of the testicles.
About 7500 new cases are diagnosed each year in the
United States. Most occur in men between 15 and 40 years old.
What Causes Testicular Cancer?
The cause is unknown. Men with a greater chance of getting it
include those born with an undescended testicle and those who
have fathers or brothers with testicular cancer. Testicular cancer
isn’t contagious.
Testicular Torsion
What Is Testicular Torsion?
Testicular torsion is a painful condition that occurs when the
testicle twists on the end of the spermatic cord. This cord holds
blood vessels that supply the testicle with blood. This corkscrew-
like twisting cuts off the testicle’s blood supply. If the
testicle stays tightly twisted, it will be damaged and could die.
Testicular torsion occurs most often in young men between
12 and 20 years old and it’s also common in newborn babies,
but it can happen at any age. It’s rare, occurring in 1 in 5000
males. It can occur suddenly, for no reason, or following
trauma, and is a medical emergency.
Metastatic Cancer, Questions and Answers
Cancer is a group of many related diseases. All cancers begin in cells. Cells are the building
blocks that make up tissues. Cancer that arises from organs and solid tissues is called a solid
tumor. Cancer that begins in blood cells is called leukemia, multiple myeloma, or lymphoma.
Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old
and die, new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form
when the body does not need them. Old cells do not die when they should.
The extra cells form a mass of tissue. This is called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be either not
cancerous ( benign) or cancerous ( malignant). Benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the
body. They are rarely a threat to life. Malignant tumors can spread ( metastasize) and may be life
threatening.
