Cancer Care Center Of Decatur

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer is a disease in which cells become malignant (cancerous) in one or both testicles.

The testicles (also called te**es or go**ds) are a pair of male s*x glands. They produce and store s***m and are the main source of testosterone (the major male hormone) in men. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male physical characteristics. The testicles are located under the p***s in a sac-like pouch called the sc***um.

Based on the characteristics of the cells in the tumor, testicular cancers are classified as seminomas or nonseminomas. Other types of cancer that arise in the testicles are rare and are not described here. Seminomas may be one of three types: classic, anaplastic, or s***matocytic. Types of nonseminomas include choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, teratoma, and yolk sac tumors. Testicular tumors may contain both seminoma and nonseminoma cells.

What are the risk factors for testicular cancer?

The exact causes of testicular cancer are not known. However, studies have shown that several factors increase a man's chance of developing this disease.

Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism): Normally, the testicles descend from inside the abdomen into the sc***um before birth. The risk of testicular cancer is increased in males with a testicle that does not move down into the sc***um. This risk does not change even after surgery to move the testicle into the sc***um. The increased risk applies to both testicles.
Conge***al abnormalities: Men born with abnormalities of the testicles, p***s, or kidneys, as well as those with inguinal hernia (hernia in the groin area, where the thigh meets the abdomen), may be at increased risk.
History of testicular cancer: Men who have had testicular cancer are at increased risk of developing cancer in the other testicle.
Family history of testicular cancer: The risk for testicular cancer is greater in men whose brother or father has had the disease.

How is testicular cancer detected? What are symptoms of testicular cancer?

Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves. Also, doctors generally examine the testicles during routine physical exams. Between regular checkups, if a man notices anything unusual about his testicles, he should talk with his doctor. Men should see a doctor if they notice any of the following symptoms:

a painless lump or swelling in a testicle
pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the sc***um
any enlargement of a testicle or change in the way it feels
a feeling of heaviness in the sc***um
a dull ache in the lower abdomen, back, or groin
a sudden collection of fluid in the sc***um

What is neuroblastoma?
Neuroblastoma is a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. Neuroblastoma most commonly arises in and around the adrenal glands, which have similar origins to nerve cells and sit atop the kidneys. However, neuroblastoma can also develop in other areas of the abdomen and in the chest, neck and near the spine, where groups of nerve cells exist.

Neuroblastoma most commonly affects children age 5 or younger, though it may rarely occur in older children.

Signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma vary depending on what part of the body is affected.

Neuroblastoma in the abdomen — the most common form — may cause signs and symptoms such as:

Abdominal pain
A mass under the skin that isn't tender when touched
Changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhea
Swelling in the legs
Neuroblastoma in the chest may cause signs and symptoms such as:

Wheezing
Chest pain
Changes to the eyes, including drooping eyelids and unequal pupil size
Other signs and symptoms that may indicate neuroblastoma include:

Lumps of tissue under the skin
Eyeballs that seem to protrude from the sockets (proptosis)
Dark circles, similar to bruises, around the eyes
Back pain
Fever
Unexplained weight loss
Bone pain

Causes of Neuroblastoma

In general, cancer begins with a genetic mutation that allows normal, healthy cells to continue growing without responding to the signals to stop, which normal cells do. Cancer cells grow and multiply out of control. The accumulating abnormal cells form a mass (tumor).

Neuroblastoma begins in neuroblasts — immature nerve cells that a fetus makes as part of its development process.

As the fetus matures, neuroblasts eventually turn into nerve cells and fibers and the cells that make up the adrenal glands. Most neuroblasts mature by birth, though a small number of immature neuroblasts can be found in newborns. In most cases, these neuroblasts mature or disappear. Others, however, form a tumor — a neuroblastoma.

It isn't clear what causes the initial genetic mutation that leads to neuroblastoma.