Part UT Health San Antonio

Testicular cancer symptoms may not be noticed at first. If you notice them, don't think it's because of cancer. Other, less serious health problems may be causing them, such as an infection. But you still need to talk about them with your doctor. Finding and treating the cause early will make your chances for a cure better.

Common Symptoms

The most common is a painless lump or mass in either testicle. This can be with or without swelling. You may also have:

  • A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
  • A dull ache in the lower belly or groin
  • Fluid or swelling in the scrotum—this can happen slowly or quickly
  • Early puberty—linked to a certain type of testicular cancer
  • Breast enlargement or discomfort—rare, but linked to a certain type of testicular cancer

Advanced Symptoms

As cancer spreads, it may cause other problems such as:

  • Back or belly pain caused by pressure on nearby nerves
  • Long-lasting cough, with or without blood
  • Breathing problems, with or without chest pain
  • Long-lasting headaches that don't go away with medicines
REFERENCES:

General information about testicular cancer. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/testicular/patient/testicular-treatment-pdq#link/_1. Accessed October 1, 2020.

Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer. American Cancer Society website. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/testicular-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-and-symptoms.html. Accessed October 1, 2020.

Testicular cancer. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T907377/Testicular-cancer. Accessed October 1, 2020.

What are the symptoms of testicular cancer? Urology Care Foundation website. Available at: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/testicular-cancer/symptoms. Accessed October 1, 2020.

Last reviewed September 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP  Last Updated: 12/4/2020