Three ways to check for testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is a malignant tumor that seriously affects the patient's health and can even lead to loss of fertility in severe cases. Correct examination can detect the disease early and treat it early, thereby reducing pain. So how should testicular cancer patients be examined? There are three commonly used methods for testing testicular cancer. Let's learn about them together.

There are three ways to testicular cancer:

1. Diagnosing testicular cancer based on symptoms

1. Testicular heaviness: Testicular heaviness is one of the symptoms of early testicular cancer. Since testicular tumors are formed by the massive growth of tumor cells, they are a substantial mass. When they grow to a certain size, the weight of the testicles increases suddenly, and the patient will feel heavy and fall, or even have difficulty walking. If you hold up the testicles with your hands, you will feel a certain weight.

2. Hard testicles: What are the symptoms of early testicular cancer? If you touch your testicles and they feel like rocks and are very hard, this is significantly different from the symmetrical swelling and soft texture of the testicles when the testicles are usually inflamed. Hard testicles are an important symptom of early testicular cancer.

3. Testicular enlargement: Testicular enlargement is also an important symptom of early testicular cancer. It is the result of the endless proliferation of tumor cells. The appearance of testicular enlargement is not symmetrical, sometimes it is very irregular, and the testicle on the side with the tumor can be particularly enlarged and protruding.

4. Negative light transmission test: What are the symptoms of early testicular cancer? Symptoms of early testicular cancer also include negative testicular light transmission test. Generally, when there is hydrocele, the light transmission of the renal capsule and testicles is enhanced, and the light transmission test is positive; but when the testicular tumor grows densely and solidly, there is no fluid inside, and the light transmission is greatly weakened, showing negative.

2. Diagnosis of testicular cancer through imaging

1. Ultrasound: B-ultrasound examination can accurately distinguish the size, shape, and presence of lumps of the testicles. It can also distinguish whether the swollen testicles are caused by inflammation, tissue edema, or tumors. It can also detect whether there are metastatic tumors behind the peritoneum.

2. Tumor marker determination: Tumor markers are antigens and other biologically active substances generated by tumor cells during the process of carcinogenesis due to the expression of oncogenes. They can be detected in the body fluids and excreta of tumor patients, but not or very little in normal tissues or benign diseases. The levels of tumor markers in the blood such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (B-HCG), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) can be measured. Alkaline phosphatase is widely distributed in various organs of the human body, with the liver being the most abundant, followed by kidneys, bones, intestines, and placenta. This enzyme can catalyze the removal of 5' phosphate groups from nucleic acid molecules, thereby converting the 5'-P end of DNA or RNA fragments into 5'-OH ends. ) etc. These tumor markers can help detect testicular tumors.

3. Biopsy: A biopsy is the only test that can confirm the presence of cancer. In most cases, when doing a biopsy, the doctor makes an incision in the groin and removes the entire affected testicle. This procedure is called a radical inguinal orchiectomy.

How to self-check for testicular cancer

The best time to do a self-examination for testicular cancer is after bathing. This is because any local tension will cause the scrotum to shrink and affect the examination. After bathing, the scrotal skin is relaxed, making the examination easier and more accurate.

Specific technique: Stand up. Let the scrotum droop naturally, hold up the scrotum with your palm, and observe and feel its size and weight. Gently pinch the testicle with both hands, with the thumb on top of the testicle and the index and middle fingers on the bottom. Gently rotate the testicle with the index and thumb to check its size, whether the surface is smooth, whether there are lumps, and whether there are differences between the left and right testicles. If there is an abnormal pea or pigeon egg-sized lump without pain, be vigilant and seek a specialist examination by a urologist as soon as possible.