Testicular cancer begins in your testes, the male reproductive organ. Which treatment your doctor will choose to treat it is based on the type of cancer you have and if it has spread.
The majority of testicular cancers start in germ cells. Germ cells in your testicles make sperm. When these cells begin to grow out of control, they form two main types of tumors: seminomas and non-seminomas.
They grow and spread at different rates.
Seminomas
Most seminoma tumors grow more slowly than non-seminoma tumors. But they can spread to the lymph nodes or lungs. In some cases, they can reach other parts of the body like your brain or liver.
Seminoma tumors do respond better to radiation therapy and chemotherapy than non-seminomas.
There are two types of seminomas. Most -- more than 95% -- are classical seminomas. These usually show up in men between 25 and 45 years old.
Spermatocytic seminomas are rare and usually appear in much older men. (The average age is 65.) In most cases, these tumors don't spread to other parts of the body.
Non-Seminomas
This type of tumor is most common in men between their late teens and 30s.
Non-seminoma tumors spread faster than seminomas. They can go to the:
- Area between your lungs
- Brain
- Liver
- Lungs
- Lymph nodes
- Space behind your stomach
There are four main types of non-seminoma testicular cancer tumors:
Embryonal carcinoma: These grow quickly. They can also spread beyond your testicles. Roughly 40% of testicular non-seminoma cancers have embryonal carcinoma cells.
Choriocarcinoma: These tumors are very rare. They grow rapidly and spread aggressively.
Teratoma: Some teratoma tumors don’t spread beyond the testicle. Others can grow into nearby tissues and spread rapidly to other areas of the body.
Yolk sac carcinoma: Your care team might call these endodermal sinus tumors. They are the most common type of tumor found in children. If they aren't treated, they can grow and spread. But they do respond well to treatment like chemotherapy.
Sometimes, tumors can be a combination of these types.
How Can My Doctor Help?
If they don't know already, your doctor will need to figure out which type of testicular cancer you have. They'll look for certain proteins in your blood to get that answer. Both seminomas and non-seminomas raise levels of a protein called HCG. Non-seminomas also cause a rise in something called alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
Once they know which you have, they'll use a variety of tests to see if and where your cancer has spread. They may order:
- X-rays
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- PET scans
Talk with your doctor to figure out what you should do next.
