Most often, the earliest symptom of testicular cancer is pain, swelling, or hardness in the testis, or some combination of these symptoms. Less often, the first symptom a patient will notice is a small, painless lump on the testicle. A man with testicular cancer might also feel heaviness in the scrotum; an ache in the lower abdomen or groin area; an accumulation of blood or fluid in the scrotum; or a change in the way a testicle feels. More rarely, there is tenderness in the man's breast area, usually caused by high levels of a hormone called human chronic gonadotropin (HCG). Remember, though, that these symptoms do not necessarily indicate cancer. There could be other causes, such as an infection. Only a doctor can diagnose the ultimate cause of any symptom.
Not too long ago, testicular cancer was considered a difficult and dangerous type of tumor. Advances in treatment mean that most men diagnosed with testicular cancer, especially those diagnosed when the cancer is at an early, treatable stage, can now expect to survive the disease. Today, the overall cure rate for testicular cancer, when detected early, is above 90 percent.
