Today, cancer is a disease that is claiming lives of men and women of various ages at an increasing rate. Testicular cancer is specific to the testicles, but it the abnormal cells may migrate to other organs. The condition killed 8, 300 people on a global scale according to the statistics from 2013. The deaths record in 2013 was an increase from that of 1990 by 1, 300 deaths. In the US, number of men diagnosed with the disease annually is 8000, while in the UK it is 2000.
The news is scary, but no need to be afraid because this cancer has the highest rate of cure. Survival rate after 5 years is averaged to be 95%. If the abnormal cells have not moved to other organs, five-year survival rate rises to 99%, but if it has, it reduces to 96%. Currently, chemotherapy gives 80% cure rate.
The condition originates from different places in the body and the point of origin is used to name it. Therefore, cancer of the testicles is the name used to refer to cancers that develop in other places but originating from testicles. The chances of one developing the condition is 0.5%, which is at least one male in 200. Males aged between 20 and 39 have this cancer as the most prevalent in the age group. It is rare for the disease to affect those below 15 years.
This condition has very diverse signs and symptoms, but lumps inside the testes is the most characteristic one. People are discouraged from conducting routine screening, even though monthly self-examinations are encouraged. If a family has a history of cancer, its members are encouraged to do this more often. The condition is more frequent among young people and they are advised to do more self-examinations.
Lumps normally occur in one testes and may be painful or not. Doctors will usually run more tests if the lump is present. Other common symptoms include painful abdomen or scrotum, breast enlargement, lower back pain, and the scrotum feeling heavy. Normally the signs may come singly or in any combination. If the cancerous cells spread to the lung, one may experience shortness of breath and a lump in the neck.
Symptoms can sometimes be very confusing especially since epididymitis, varicocele, and hematocele have the same signs. Lump evaluation is performed through scrotal ultrasound. The type of lump is determined by the characteristics identified by the ultrasound. Location and size of tumor are among the characteristics identified.
Location of metastases and extent of disease is performed through CT scans. Blood tests may also utilize to identify the disease. Tumor markers in form of specific proteins within the bloodstream are made use of during the blood test. Alpha-fetoprotein, LDH-1, and human chorionic gonadotropin are the proteins that serve as tumor markers for the detection of the illness through blood tests. The efficiency of blood tests is not quite high.
Options for treatment are three. The options are radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. Specialists who perform these treatments are different. Radiation therapy is done by radiation oncologists, chemotherapy is done by medical oncologists, while surgery is performed by urologists. The time treatment starts determines success.
The news is scary, but no need to be afraid because this cancer has the highest rate of cure. Survival rate after 5 years is averaged to be 95%. If the abnormal cells have not moved to other organs, five-year survival rate rises to 99%, but if it has, it reduces to 96%. Currently, chemotherapy gives 80% cure rate.
The condition originates from different places in the body and the point of origin is used to name it. Therefore, cancer of the testicles is the name used to refer to cancers that develop in other places but originating from testicles. The chances of one developing the condition is 0.5%, which is at least one male in 200. Males aged between 20 and 39 have this cancer as the most prevalent in the age group. It is rare for the disease to affect those below 15 years.
This condition has very diverse signs and symptoms, but lumps inside the testes is the most characteristic one. People are discouraged from conducting routine screening, even though monthly self-examinations are encouraged. If a family has a history of cancer, its members are encouraged to do this more often. The condition is more frequent among young people and they are advised to do more self-examinations.
Lumps normally occur in one testes and may be painful or not. Doctors will usually run more tests if the lump is present. Other common symptoms include painful abdomen or scrotum, breast enlargement, lower back pain, and the scrotum feeling heavy. Normally the signs may come singly or in any combination. If the cancerous cells spread to the lung, one may experience shortness of breath and a lump in the neck.
Symptoms can sometimes be very confusing especially since epididymitis, varicocele, and hematocele have the same signs. Lump evaluation is performed through scrotal ultrasound. The type of lump is determined by the characteristics identified by the ultrasound. Location and size of tumor are among the characteristics identified.
Location of metastases and extent of disease is performed through CT scans. Blood tests may also utilize to identify the disease. Tumor markers in form of specific proteins within the bloodstream are made use of during the blood test. Alpha-fetoprotein, LDH-1, and human chorionic gonadotropin are the proteins that serve as tumor markers for the detection of the illness through blood tests. The efficiency of blood tests is not quite high.
Options for treatment are three. The options are radiation therapy, surgery, and chemotherapy. Specialists who perform these treatments are different. Radiation therapy is done by radiation oncologists, chemotherapy is done by medical oncologists, while surgery is performed by urologists. The time treatment starts determines success.
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