Malignant testicular tumours can already develop during puberty and, like all cancers, lead to death if left untreated.

Testicular tumours are conspicuous by a painless enlargement of the testicle or a palpable hardening in the area of the testicle. If you notice such a change, a quick presentation to your urological colleague is highly recommended.
In addition to a palpation examination, an ultrasound examination of the testicle will be carried out, and blood will be taken to test for testicular tumour-specific tumour markers (alpha-fetoprotein – AFP, human chorionic gonadotropin – HCG, placental alkaline phosphatase – PLAP and lactate dehydrogenase – LDH).

If there is even the slightest suspicion of the presence of a testicular tumour, the testicle must be surgically exposed via an inguinal incision. During the operation, testicular tissue is taken from the suspicious area and given to the pathologist for a so-called frozen section examination (SS). If tumour-specific changes are found, the testicle is removed together with the spermatic cord and a tissue sample is taken from the opposite testicle to exclude the presence of tumour precursors. In the days following the operation, additional examinations are carried out to determine the stage (spread diagnosis/staging).

Depending on the results of these examinations and the final findings of the fine tissue examination, the further procedure must then be discussed. Depending on the type of tumour found, this can range from a wait-and-see approach with close tumour follow-up examinations, simple chemotherapy or radiation, to the implementation of complex chemotherapy or further surgical measures.