Germ-cell tumors begin in the same cells that produce sperm and are further subdivided into seminomas and nonseminomas. Treatment choices may depend on which type the patient has.

Testicular cancer occurs most often in younger men and usually is easily treated.

• Cryptorchidism, or undescended testicle(s), even if surgery amended the problem early on
• Family History of testicular cancer
• Klinefelter's Syndrome, a disorder that includes breast enlargement, sterility, low testosterone levels and small testicles
• Irregular development of the testicles
• Race/ethnicity may play a role. Caucasian men are more likely to develop testicular cancer.

• Painless swelling or lumps in one of the testicles
• Heavy feeling in the scrotum
• Fluid collection in the scrotum
• Pain or discomfort in scrotum or testicle
• Dull ache in lower back, abdomen or groin

An ultrasound utilizes inaudible sound waves, which bounce off internal organs and create a picture, or sonogram, of the body.

A blood test can detect certain substances in the bloodstream that indicate cancerous growth is occurring.

In a biopsy, the testicle in question is removed through surgery and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. If the patient has only one testicle, the surgeon will only remove part of the testicle.

Radiation therapy kills cancer cells with intense x-rays aimed only at the cancerous growth, and for testicular cancer the beams are always emitted from a machine outside of the body aimed at the abdomen. Seminomas are particularly sensitive to this type of treatment. Side effects from radiation therapy include loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and problems with digestion.

Chemotherapy involves taking drugs that kill rapidly growing cells, thus noncancerous cells can be killed as well. Side effects vary by type of drug but in general, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, sores on the mouth and the lips and a lower resistance to infection are expected. Other side effects can include hearing loss, kidney, nerve, lung and small blood vessel damge. Drugs taken for testicular cancer can also cause kidney, nerve, lung, and small blood vessel damage as well as hearing loss.

Prognosis
While testicular cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer, with a cure rate in excess of 90 percent, most types will spread if left unchecked, first invading and damaging the other testicle before metastasizing and being carried by the lymph nodes to other body organs, such as the lungs. Early detection and treatment are crucial to a favorable outcome.