Testicular cancer

Signs and symptoms of testicular cancer

Common symptoms can include:

• swelling or a lump in a testicle, which is usually painless - occasionally the swelling may suddenly increase in size and become painful;
• a dull ache or pain, or heaviness in the scrotum.

If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body, there may be some of the following symptoms:

• Pain in the back, groin, or lower abdomen - this can be caused by the spread of the cancer to lymph nodes in the back of the abdomen.
• A cough, breathlessness or difficulty swallowing if lymph nodes in the chest area are affected. Rarely, if the cancer has spread to the lungs, coughing and breathlessness may be the main symptoms.
• Nipple/breast tenderness or breast swelling (gynaecomastia) - this isn’t common but can be caused by hormones produced by the cancer.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important that you see your GP.