Testicular Cancer Causes

Doctors are uncertain about testicular cancer causes, but a number of significant risk factors are involved. Compared with other types of cancer, testicular cancer is rare. When it occurs, it usually affects men between the ages of fifteen and 39.

Testicular cancer is cancer of the testicles, located in the scrotum underneath the penis. The testicles are responsible for the production of male sex hormones and reproductive sperm. Testicular cancer is highly treatable with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of treatments. Regular self-examinations can help identify cancerous growths early, for the best treatment success.

Testicular cancer occurs when cells in the testicle develop abnormalities and accumulate a mass in the testicle. The cancer usually begins in the germ cells, those that produce immature sperm. Doctors do not know what causes the abnormalities that develop into tumors. But certain factors increase a man’s risk of testicular cancer. Here are some of the most common testicular cancer causes and risk factors.

1. Abnormal Cell Growth. Cells grow and divide in order to keep your body functioning properly. Occasionally, some cells in the testicle develop abnormalities, putting cell growth out of control and causing a cancerous mass. The cause of abnormal cell growth is unknown.
2. Abnormal Testicle Development. Abnormal testicle development may increase a man’s risk of testicular cancer. This includes hereditary conditions such as gonadal dysgenesis and Klinefelter’s syndrome.
3. An Undescended Testicle. Men who have a testicle that did not descend into the scrotum before birth have a higher-than-average risk for developing cancer. This is true even for men who had a testicle surgically relocated to the scrotum.
4. Personal And Family History. Men who have survived testicular cancer may still develop cancer in the other testicle. Men who have family members with testicular cancer are more at risk to develop cancer themselves.
5. Age. Testicular cancer can occur at any age, but teens and young men are more susceptible. Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer in men between twenty and 34 years of age. It is the second most common cancer type in men between 35 and 39 years of age. It is the third most common cancer in teenagers between fifteen and nineteen years of age.
6. Race. White men are more likely to develop testicular cancer than black men. Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander races develop the cancer more often than black men, but less frequently than white men.