kidney and urinary tract disorders
Testicular Cancer
Diagnosis of Testicular Cancer
Ultrasonography Blood tests (alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin) Physical examination and Ultrasonography may indicate whether a lump is part of the testis and whether it is solid (and thus more likely to be cancer) or filled with fluid (cystic). Determining the blood levels of 2 proteins, alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin, may help in making the diagnosis but is not definitive. The levels of these proteins often increase in men with testicular cancer. Additional testing, including chest x-rays and computed tomography, may be done to determine whether the cancer has spread. Most doctors recommend that young men check their own testes for lumps about once per month. Loss of one testis does not impair sex drive or the ability to have children or erections. 