Cancer Research UK noted that testicular cancers are more common in younger men, especially those in their 30s. In the UK, around 2,200 men are diagnosed with the condition each year. One sensation you must not ignore is when the scrotum feels “heavy”; you must also report any pain or discomfort in that area to your doctor. The first symptom of testicular cancer, for one in five men, is “a sharp pain in the testicle or scrotum”.
For example, cancerous cells that have invaded the lymph glands at the back of the stomach may cause backache or a dull ache in the lower tummy.
If the cancer has travelled to lymph glands higher up, you might feel lumps around the collarbone or in the neck.
Occasionally, men might have swollen or tender breast tissue due to the hormones made by the cancer.
These hormones – alpha feta protein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) – can be detected in blood tests.
“In the UK, white men have a higher risk of testicular cancer than men from other ethnic groups,” said Cancer Research UK.
Men who have a brother or father who have had testicular cancer also have an increased risk of developing the disease.
To be specific, men whose father had testicular cancer are around four times more likely to develop the disease themselves.
Men who have a brother with testicular cancer are around eight times more likely to develop the disease.