Introduction
The testicular examination is essential to every male patient, and it should begin at the age of fifteen to forty. To diagnose cancer at an early stage, men are encouraged to learn self-exam and seek medication if there is abnormal pain in the area. Self-examination should be done at least once a month to realize any different changes and the right time to examine the testicles is after a hot shower. In the male reproductive organ, sperms and testosterone hormones are produced in the testis. These are male reproductive glands located inside the scrotum the pouch of skin directly beneath the legs. Testicular cancer starts in the male gland called the testis though it is infrequent and treatable.
Diagnosis and Three Differentials
The gem cells produce sperm in the testicles, and this is where testicular cancer most often begins with the changes. Gem tumors are responsible for more than ninety percent of testicular cancers (Baird et al., 2018). The two main types of gem tumors are nonseminomas which are an extra common form of testicular cancer, and seminomas being testicular cancers that grow bit by bit. Treatment for testicular is much more effective when started early, and possibly, when one notices changes in any of the testes or swelling, they should see a doctor. Three differential diagnoses of testicular cancer include orchitis, a bacterial infection that is an inflammation of both or one of the testis. Abdominal Hernias involve the stomach or intestines causing pressure sensation, bulging, and pain. Testicular torsion happens when tissues around the testis are not well attached, causing it to twist around the spermatic cord.
Pathophysiology of Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer often affects men who are born with a condition known as cryptorchidism. At the early stage, the abnormal cells develop but are still cramped within where the sperms are produced. The cancer is narrowed to the testicles and the epididymis as the tumor markers level reads normal at the first stage and has not grown into the blood. It then moves into the blood vessels within the testicle; cancer has now spread to the outer layer membrane around the testes.
In the next stage, it spreads to a maximum of the five lymph nodes in the abdomen. In the last stage of cancer, it spreads to the lymph nodes beyond the abdomen to the lungs. At this level of cancer, the tumor makers are highly elevated and it can spread to other organs. Pathophysiology that may increase the risk of getting testicular cancer includes family history. Age is a factor in that the disease affects young men and teenagers, especially those between the age of fifteen and forty (Baird et al., 2018). Another risk factor is abnormal testicle development conditions like Klinefelter syndrome, causing the testis to be unusual.
Diagnostic Test and Treatment
Physical examination should be done to reveal ant testicular abnormalities like swelling and lumps. The doctor will need to examine the testicles after asking about the symptoms and checking the patient’s medical history. An ultrasound will be done to observe the testis’ internal structure and provide a clear sign if the lump is in the testicle or distinct within the scrotum (Cheng et al., 2018). A blood test is taken to check tumor markers to help confirm the diagnosis. Proteins and hormones are to be detected in the blood as markers are produced by testicular cancer frequently though not all people have them.
A treatment plan for a patient will be based on the exact diagnosis and health of the patient. The three general categories of treatments are surgery done by removing both or one testis, and it is the primary treatment for testicular cancer. Radiation therapy is used to kill cancer cells in the testis and run externally or internally (Cheng et al., 2018). Chemotherapy is used to diagnose cancers that spread beyond the testis or to other parts of the body. Testicular cancer has no prevention, and doctors recommend regular self-exam to identify it at an early stage. Enlarged testicles or small lumps are cancer’s immediate signs and should be assessed by the doctor when one has the symbols.
References
Baird, D. C., Meyers, G. J., & Hu, J. S. (2018). Testicular cancer: Diagnosis and Treatment. American Family Physician, 97(4), 261-268. Web.
Cheng, L., Albers, P., Berney, D. M., Feldman, D. R., Daugaard, G., Gilligan, T., & Looijenga, L. H. (2018). Testicular cancer. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 4(1), 1-24. Web.