Testicular cancer lumps are usually painless, however men should consult their doctor immediately, as the cancer, which is on the increase worldwide, could be lethal.
Testicular cancer is one of the most treatable cancers and the earlier it is diagnosed the more likely the patient will not need chemotherapy, consultant urologist John Sciberras told this newspaper
Consultant urologist John Sciberras. Photo: Mathew Mirabelli“That is why we stress that men self-examine themselves regularly – the smaller the lump, the less likely it will have spread elsewhere.
“I have seen men who have known of a lump and procrastinated about visiting their GP for a year out of shyness or fear. People need to be aware that the cancer targets young men, it is easily diagnosed and it is curable.”
In the last five recorded years, between 2009 and 2013, there were 67 cases of diagnosed testicular cancer in Malta. Although it is not the commonest of cancers in men, it could kill if not treated. The incidence of this type of cancer peaks in men aged between 20 and 40.
From experience, Mr Sciberras believes that awareness of testicular cancer is on the increase, especially since survivor Andrew Grech spoke to the Times of Malta about his experience two years ago, urging fellow men not to ignore the symptoms.
Men, he insists, should speak to their GP if they have any suspicion. They would be referred to a urologist immediately and usually seen within a week or two.
A lump could also be the result of an infection or a cyst, however, on suspicion that it could be cancer, an ultrasound is carried out and a series of tests determines the stage of the growth.
In most cases, the testicle needs to be removed – in what is known as an orchidectomy - and sent off for pathological intervention to get to know what type of cancer it is. A CT scan is also carried out to see if it has spread to the lymph nodes and while some patients will only need to be observed for the following years, others might need to undergo chemotherapy.
Apart from removing a testicle, those who receive chemotherapy might lose their fertility, so the subject is broached when they are diagnosed.
These men can be offered sperm banking, which will soon start to be offered in Malta after the onset of IVF treatment. And just like in breast cancer, they are also offered a silicon prosthesis.
Malta’s five-year survival rate of testicular cancer is 87.4 per cent – within the same levels of Europe. However, the incidence of testicular cancer is increasing worldwide. In Malta there were eight cases in 2005 and 10 in 2006, compared to 18 in 2012 and 14 in 2013.
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless lump and that is why it is important for men to self-examine themselves, as most likely, they will not get other symptoms. In about 10 per cent of cases some patients discover a lump after unrelated minor trauma or after experiencing minor pain or discomfort.
Symptoms may include:
• A lump in one testicle which may or may not be painful;
• Sharp pain or a dull ache in the lower scrotum;
• A feeling often described as “heaviness” in the scrotum;
• Breast enlargement.