Cancer of the Testicle
Cancer of the testicle is a disease which usually occurs between late adolescence and the late 30’s. It can arise in any of the cells in the testicle (germ cell, Leydig cell or Sertoli cell) but the vast majority arise in germ cells - the cells that go on to produce sperm. It may present as the incidental finding of a lump in the testicle (which is why all adolescents should be taught how to examine their testicles), by inflammation causing pain, by the swelling of a hydrocele, or as a result of spread to another structure such as the spine, causing back pain. The treatment, possibly involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, depends on which type of tumour develops, and the degree of its spread. It can be curative.
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