Testicular cancer risks and causes
This page is about testicular cancer risk factors. We do not know exactly what causes testicular cancer. But several factors are known to increase risk. There is information on
Testicular cancer risks and causes
Testicular cancer is a relatively rare disease in the UK. We do not know exactly what causes testicular cancer. But there are several risk factors we do know about.
Your medical history
If an undescended testicle is not corrected by the age of 11, a man’s risk of testicular cancer is increased. If you have had a rare complication of mumps called orchitis you have an increased risk.
Carcinoma in situ (CIS) means that there are abnormal cells in the testicle. This is not cancer. But if left untreated, it may nearly develop into cancer. Men who have had testicular cancer also have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other testis. There is a small increase in risk in men who've had fertility problems.
Other risk factors
Having a brother with testicular cancer - Researchers think that up to 1 in 5 (20%) of testicular cancers could be due to inherited faulty gene.
Ethnic or social background affects risk. Testicular cancer is diagnosed in 5 times as many white men as black men in the United States. It is also more common in wealthier social groups. We do not know why this is.
Testicular cancer is a relatively rare disease. Around 2,100 cases are diagnosed in the UK each year. Out of every 100 cancers diagnosed in men, only 1 or 2 are testicular cancer.
The most important risk factor is undescended testicle (cryptorchidism). In the womb, the testicles develop in a male baby's abdomen. They usually move down into the scrotum at birth, or within the first year of life. If they move down later, or need surgery to bring them down, this is called undescended testicle.
Some studies show no increase in the risk of testicular cancer in men with undescended testicle. Other studies show a slight increase in risk (up to 4 times) where the testicles move down or surgery brings them down by the age of puberty. But in men where the condition is not corrected by the age of 11, their risk of testicular cancer is increased by up to 32 times.
Men who had a rare complication of mumps called mumps orchitis also have an increased risk of testicular cancer.
Brothers or sons of men who have had testicular cancer have an increased risk of testicular cancer. One explanation could be a testicular cancer gene abnormality. Changes in a gene called TGCT1 were found by researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in February 2000. The abnormal gene is on the X chromosome and so is inherited from the mother and not the father. The researchers carrying out this work think there could be 2 other testicular cancer genes that we haven't found yet. They think that up to 1 in 5 (20%) of testicular cancers could be due to inherited faulty genes.
A trial is being carried out to try to find genes that may increase the risk of developing cancer. It is called the UK genetics of testicular cancer study. Over 3,000 men who have had testicular cancer will give a small sample of blood. Researchers will then look at the samples to find any possible genes that could increase the risk of testicular cancer. The trial will end in 2012 so the results are not likely to be available for many years.
Men who have had testicular cancer have a 12 times increase in their risk of developing a second testicular cancer in the other testis. So it is important for them to attend follow up appointments after treatment.
For some time, doctors have suspected that testicular cancer was linked to fertility problems and poor sperm quality. Studies in 2000 confirmed that men with fertility problems are more at risk of testicular cancer. The problems they identified were low semen concentration, sperm that did not move around as much as normal or a high proportion of abnormal sperm.
There is a significant link between infertility and testicular cancer risk. But as the overall risk of testicular cancer is small, this means there is only really a small increase in risk for men with fertility problems. Out of 32,000 men with fertility problems in one Danish study, they found 89 testicular cancers had been diagnosed.
Testicular cancer is more common in some racial and social groups. Five times as many white men as black men in the United States get testicular cancer. it is also more common in wealthier social groups. We do not know why this is.
Carcinoma in situ (CIS) means that there are abnormal cells in the testicle. But they are completely contained and so cannot spread, as cancer cells can. Carcinoma in situ of the testicle is not cancer. But if left untreated, it will develop into cancer in about half the men who have it (50%). There is no lump and usually no other symptom. CIS is most often found when a man has a testicular biopsy to investigate infertility. CIS can be treated by removing the testicle, to prevent a testicular cancer from developing.
There is evidence that men who are taller than average have an increased risk of testicular cancer and men who are shorter than average have a reduced risk.
There is no known link between injury or sporting strains and testicular cancer. But an injury often causes swelling and lumps in the testicle and this can make a tumour difficult to spot. If you have injured your testicles and have any swelling, go to your GP for a check up.
There is no known link between vasectomy and testicular cancer. Early research suggested a link, but this has since been shown to be untrue.
Increase text
Decrease text
Print this page
