Diagnosing Testicular Cancer

You might find lumps, swelling or other symptoms of testicular cancer on your own. They can be detected during an exam by a health care provider too. You'll need other tests to see if testicular cancer is causing your symptoms.

Tests used to diagnose testicular cancer include:

• Ultrasound. A testicular ultrasound test uses sound waves to make pictures. It can be used to make pictures of the scrotum and testicles. During an ultrasound you lie on your back with your legs spread. A health care provider puts a clear gel on the scrotum. A hand-held probe is moved over the scrotum to make the pictures.
  Ultrasound gives your provider more clues about any lumps around the testicle. It can help your provider see whether the lumps look like something that isn't cancer or if they look like cancer. An ultrasound shows whether the lumps are inside or outside the testicle. Lumps inside the testicle are more likely to be testicular cancer.
• Blood tests. A blood test can detect proteins made by testicular cancer cells. This type of test is called a tumor marker test. Tumor markers for testicular cancer include beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, alpha-fetoprotein and lactate dehydrogenase. Having these substances in your blood doesn't mean you have cancer. Having levels higher than is typical is a clue your health care team uses to understand what's going on in your body.
• Surgery to remove a testicle. If your health care provider thinks a lump on your testicle may be cancerous, you might have surgery to remove the testicle. The testicle is sent to a lab for testing. The tests can show whether it's cancerous.