Cancer of the Testicles

The testicles, also called testes or male gonads are oval organs, each about 4-5 cm long, within the scrotum located behind the penis. The outer part of each testicle consists of a thick white connective tissue capsule. Extension of the capsule projects into the interior of the testis and divide each testis into about 250 cone-shaped lobules. The lobules contain seminiferouse tubules, in which sperm cells develop. Delicate connective tissue surrounding the seminiferous tubules contains clusters of endocrine cells.

Testes or testicles secrete sex hormones, in addition to producing sperm cells or oocytes. The sex hormones produced by the testicles play important roles for development of sexual characteristics. Testosterone is the main sex hormone for the males produced by the testes. It is responsible for the growth and development of the male reproductive structure, enlargement of the muscles, growth of body hair, changes in voice and the sexual drive of the male.

Cancer of the testicle is a disease in which cell becomes malignant in one or both testicles. There are two malignancy types of testicles; the seminomas and the non-seminomas. Tumors in the testicles can contain both of the seminomas and non-seminoma cells.

Per record in the United States, cancer of the testicles accounts only 1% of all the cancers in men. Every year, almost 8,000 men were diagnosed with tumor of the testicles and on 390 men dies of the disease.

The incidence of cancer of the testicles mainly affects with men at the ages between the ranges of 20 to 39, and it is the prevalent form of tumor in ages between the ranges of 15 to 34.

Testicular tumor is most usual with white men most especially for those with Scandinavian origin. This disease has doubled with those white men way back in 40 years, but only has just begun to enhance amongst black men. The cause for these racial differences with the occurrence is not known.