How does testicular cancer affect the body

Skip to Content. Use the menu to see other pages. People with testicular cancer may experience a variety of symptoms or signs. Sometimes, people with testicular cancer do not have any of these changes. Or, the cause of a symptom may be a different medical condition that is not cancer.

So, having these symptoms does not mean that a person definitely has cancer. Usually, an enlarged testicle or a small lump or area of hardness are the first signs of testicular cancer. Any lump, enlargement, hardness, pain, or tenderness should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible.

Other symptoms of testicular cancer usually do not appear until after the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. A painless lump or swelling on either testicle. If found early, a testicular tumor may be about the size of a pea or a marble, but it can grow much larger.

Change in the way a testicle feels or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum. For example, 1 testicle may become firmer than the other testicle. Or testicular cancer may cause the testicle to grow bigger or to become smaller.

Breast tenderness or growth. Although rare, some testicular tumors make hormones that cause breast tenderness or growth of breast tissue, a condition called gynecomastia. Lower back pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, and bloody sputum or phlegm can be symptoms of later-stage testicular cancer. Swelling of 1 or both legs or shortness of breath from a blood clot can be symptoms of testicular cancer.

A blood clot in a large vein is called deep venous thrombosis or DVT. A blood clot in an artery in the lung is called a pulmonary embolism and causes shortness of breath. Call Cancer Council Tel.

Having testicular cancer and treatment can change the way you feel about yourself, other people, relationships and sex. These changes can be very upsetting and hard to talk about. Doctors and nurses are very understanding and can give you support. You can ask for a referral to a counsellor or therapist who specialises in body image, sex and relationships. The removal of one testicle won't affect erections or orgasms but it can affect testosterone levels.

RPLND may damage nerves, causing semen to travel backwards into the bladder instead of forwards out of the penis. This still feels like an orgasm, but no semen will come out. Chemotherapy drugs may remain in your system and be present in your semen for a few days. For a few weeks after chemotherapy, you may have some trouble getting and keeping an erection.

Radiation therapy to the pelvis may temporarily stop semen production. You will still feel the sensations of an orgasm but will ejaculate little or no semen dry orgasm. In most cases, semen production will return to normal after a few months. Most people who have had one testicle removed can go on to have children naturally. If you have had both testicles removed rarely required , you will no longer produce sperm and will be infertile.

People who experience retrograde ejaculation after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection will also be infertile. Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can temporarily decrease sperm production and cause unhealthy sperm.

It may take one or more years before there are enough healthy sperm to conceive a child. In some cases, infertility may be permanent. Any type of cancer treatment can change the way you feel about yourself. You may feel less confident about who you are and what you can do, particularly if your body has changed physically. Some people find that their sense of identity or masculinity is affected by their cancer experience. Give yourself time to get used to any changes to your body.

Try to see yourself as a whole person body, mind and personality instead of focusing on the parts of you that have changed. Try talking to other men who have had a similar experience and let your partner, if you have one, know how you are feeling.

You may also find it helpful to talk to a psychologist if you are having trouble adjusting to any changes. If you continue to be concerned about your appearance, you may wish to speak to your medical team about getting an artificial testicle prosthesis.

Advanced cancer usually means cancer that is unlikely to be cured. During this time palliative care services can help. However, it is rare that testicular cancer is so advanced that treatment cannot make it go away.

Most people continue to have treatment for advanced cancer as part of palliative care, as it helps manage the cancer and improve their day-to-day lives.

Many people think that palliative care is for people who are dying but palliative care is for any stage of advanced cancer. There are doctors, nurses and other people who specialise in palliative care. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy or another type of treatment. It can help in these ways:. Caring for someone with cancer can be difficult sometimes. If you are caring for someone with testicular cancer, these organisations can help:.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Did you know that deaths from injury are 2. That men are more likely to die from preventable diseases?

Nearby lymph nodes may also be taken out to see if there are cancer cells in them. There are many ways to do this surgery. Talk to your doctor about what will be done and what you can expect. Any type of surgery can have risks and side effects.

Be sure to ask the doctor what you can expect. If you have problems, let your doctors know. Doctors who treat testicular cancer should be able to help you with any problems that come up. Chemo is the short word for chemotherapy — the use of drugs to fight cancer. The drugs are given into a vein. These drugs go into your blood and spread through your body. They kill cells that are fast growing, cancer cells and good cells, like blood cells and hair. Chemo is given in cycles or rounds.

Each round of treatment is followed by a break. Chemo cycles last about 3 to 4 weeks. Using 2 or more chemo drugs together often works better than using one drug alone. Treatment lasts for many months. Chemo can make you feel very tired, sick to your stomach, and cause your hair to fall out. But these problems go away after treatment ends. There are ways to treat most chemo side effects. If you have side effects, be sure to talk to your cancer care team so they can help.

Radiation uses high-energy rays like x-rays to kill cancer cells. In testicular cancer, radiation is mainly used to kill cancer cells that have spread to lymph nodes. It can also be used to treat cancer that has spread to the brain or spinal cord. For testicular cancer, a machine aims a beam of radiation at the testicle. This is called external beam radiation. A cover is put over the healthy testicle to help keep the radiation from harming it. If your doctor suggests radiation treatment, talk about what side effects might happen.

The most common side effects of radiation are:. Most side effects get better after treatment ends. Some might last longer.

Talk to your cancer care team about what you can expect. A stem cell transplant lets doctors use higher doses of chemo. In this treatment, a special machine takes the cells that make blood called stem cells out of the blood. Then very strong chemo is given.