April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of this and all the patients who have fought and are currently fighting this disease, the Paris Charter Against Cancer would like to contribute to the discussion and present some facts about the disease, and what you can do to decrease your risk of being diagnosed with Testicular Cancer.
What is Testicular Cancer?
Testicular cancer is cancer of the testes. Typically, testicular cancers are germ cell tumors and these tumors can form because of Germ Cell Neoplasia In Situ (GCNIS). GCNIS indicates abnormal cells are present in the testes. Most commonly, these cells are only found in the seminiferous tubules of the testicle. While GCNIS does not always develop into testicular cancer, about 50% of GCNIS will develop into cancer cases within the next 5 years. Tumors developed from GCNIS can either be seminomas, non-seminomas, or mixed germ cell tumors. Non-seminomas can include post-pubertal type teratomas and yolk sac tumors, as well as embryonal carcinomas and choriocarcinoma.
There are germ cell tumors that do not form from GCNIS. These types are teratomas and yolk sac tumors as prepubertal types, which are commonly found in children before they undergo puberty, or spermatocytic tumors, which are most common in older men, and less aggressive than seminomas or non-seminomas.
Lymphoma of the testicle, typically a form of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and sex cord-stromal tumors are also forms of testicular cancer, although these are not germ cell tumors.
Risk Factors, Prevention & Screening
Over 50% of testicular cancer cases are men aged 20-34. The main risk factors for testicular cancer include having an undescended testicle or having a family history of testicular cancer. Both of these put a man at a significantly higher risk of developing testicular cancer in his lifetime. Men of European descent appear to be at a higher risk than men of other ethnicities.
Additional risk factors include having or developing an HIV infection as some studies indicate that men diagnosed with HIV or AIDS are at an increased risk of testicular cancer, having a carcinoma in situ or GCNIS in the testicle increases the risk of being diagnosed with testicular cancer, or being born with hypospadias (an abnormality of the penis and urethra).
As there are no known environmental or habitual risk factors, it is recommended that you:
- Undergo regular checks, either through self-examination or through the examination of a doctor, to ensure any abnormalities are caught early on.
- Practice safe habits to avoid or prevent the transmission of HIV
Statistics
- In 2020, an estimated 74,458 people were diagnosed with testicular cancer
- The average age of diagnosis is 33
- Testicular cancer is the 20th most common cancer in men, 27th in both sexes
- The 5-year survival rate of testicular cancer is over 95%.
- The Global Cancer Observatory ranks testicular cancer at rank 32 in the number of cancer-caused deaths
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Graphs of Death and Incidence Rate of Testicular Cancer 1990-2019
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Graphs of Death and Incidence Rate of Testicular Cancer, Ages 15-39, from 1990-2019
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) World Data Map showing the Testicular Cancer Deaths per 100,000 for both sexes in 2000 vs. 2019
