Although just what causes testicular cancer remains a mystery, experts have identified certain risk factors.
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD
What actually causes testicular cancer is unknown, but experts are looking into possible connections.
Testicular Cancer: Undescended Testicle (Cryptorchidism)
While there is no doubt that men who have, or had, an undescended testicle are at increased risk of developing testicular cancer, studies vary on how many men are affected. The connection between undescended testicles and testicular cancer is not yet understood; however, it is thought that environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors may be involved.
Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD, director of the Taussig Cancer Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, says, “If you bring the testes down before age 2, there is still a chance of developing a cancer in that testes, but it is [a] lower [chance] than if you bring it down at the time of puberty.” In fact, if the operation happens before the boy turns 11, it still decreases the chances of developing cancer. Some studies show that there is also increased incidence of cancer in the normally descended testicle.
Testicular Cancer: Family, Race, Genetics
Genes are an issue here: Sons whose fathers have testicular cancer are four to six times as likely to get it, and if a brother has it, the odds are even greater. As for race, Caucasian men are more likely to get testicular cancer than their African and Asian peers.
Researchers are looking for the genes responsible for testicular cancer. Recent studies do link two genes involved in testicular development and fertility (named KITLG and SPRY4), to an increased risk.
There also seems to be a connection between testicular cancer and a precursor type of skin cancer called atypical nevi: Men who have one often seem to have the other.
Testicular Cancer: Events in the Womb
Some researchers have argued that the reason identical twins have higher odds of getting testicular cancer is because this kind of pregnancy requires higher levels of estrogen to see it through. And while some researchers have looked for a link between sex hormones and testicular cancer, nothing conclusive has been found yet.
There are other chemicals — including diethylstilbestrol (DES), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) — that can interfere with hormone levels, but no definitive link has been found there, either.
Another link is between viral illnesses in the womb. A recent study looked at blood samples taken from mothers during the end of their first trimester of pregnancy. What the researchers found: Sons born to mothers who had high levels of antibodies toward the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, during pregnancy, had a higher incidence of testicular cancer.
Testicular Cancer: Other Possible Causes
Trauma. A study in the early 1980’s found an increased risk of testicular cancer in men who spent a large amount of time horse riding or bicycling. However, there have been few similar studies that confirm this. Results from a more recent multi-center study in Germany did not support the theory that trauma is a major risk factor for testicular cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, injuries to the testes, while painful, do not cause cancer.
Exercise and diet. There is a link between living a sedentary lifestyle and increased risk of testicular cancer. A recent analysis also linked obesity and testicular cancer in men aged 18 to 29.
Food. A couple of recent studies have looked at foods and testicular cancer risk, and found that men who consumed a lot of milk and milk products (apart from yogurt) had a slightly increased risk of testicular cancer.
Smoking. While smoking cigarettes is not a known cause of testicular cancer, a recent report indicated an increased risk in marijuana use, but this has to be replicated to be verified.
Overall, testicular cancer is not common; only around 8,000 men in the United States are newly diagnosed each year. However, it is the most common form of cancer in younger Caucasian men. Remember that regardless of risk factors, screening for testicular cancer remains important, as early diagnosis helps optimize chances for the best outcome.
Testicular Cancer: Undescended Testicle (Cryptorchidism)
While there is no doubt that men who have, or had, an undescended testicle are at increased risk of developing testicular cancer, studies vary on how many men are affected. The connection between undescended testicles and testicular cancer is not yet understood; however, it is thought that environmental, lifestyle, and genetic factors may be involved.
Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD, director of the Taussig Cancer Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, says, “If you bring the testes down before age 2, there is still a chance of developing a cancer in that testes, but it is [a] lower [chance] than if you bring it down at the time of puberty.” In fact, if the operation happens before the boy turns 11, it still decreases the chances of developing cancer. Some studies show that there is also increased incidence of cancer in the normally descended testicle.
Testicular Cancer: Family, Race, Genetics
Genes are an issue here: Sons whose fathers have testicular cancer are four to six times as likely to get it, and if a brother has it, the odds are even greater. As for race, Caucasian men are more likely to get testicular cancer than their African and Asian peers.
Researchers are looking for the genes responsible for testicular cancer. Recent studies do link two genes involved in testicular development and fertility (named KITLG and SPRY4), to an increased risk.
There also seems to be a connection between testicular cancer and a precursor type of skin cancer called atypical nevi: Men who have one often seem to have the other.
Testicular Cancer: Events in the Womb
Some researchers have argued that the reason identical twins have higher odds of getting testicular cancer is because this kind of pregnancy requires higher levels of estrogen to see it through. And while some researchers have looked for a link between sex hormones and testicular cancer, nothing conclusive has been found yet.
There are other chemicals — including diethylstilbestrol (DES), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) — that can interfere with hormone levels, but no definitive link has been found there, either.
Another link is between viral illnesses in the womb. A recent study looked at blood samples taken from mothers during the end of their first trimester of pregnancy. What the researchers found: Sons born to mothers who had high levels of antibodies toward the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes mononucleosis, during pregnancy, had a higher incidence of testicular cancer.
Testicular Cancer: Other Possible Causes
Trauma. A study in the early 1980’s found an increased risk of testicular cancer in men who spent a large amount of time horse riding or bicycling. However, there have been few similar studies that confirm this. Results from a more recent multi-center study in Germany did not support the theory that trauma is a major risk factor for testicular cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, injuries to the testes, while painful, do not cause cancer.
Exercise and diet. There is a link between living a sedentary lifestyle and increased risk of testicular cancer. A recent analysis also linked obesity and testicular cancer in men aged 18 to 29.
Food. A couple of recent studies have looked at foods and testicular cancer risk, and found that men who consumed a lot of milk and milk products (apart from yogurt) had a slightly increased risk of testicular cancer.
Smoking. While smoking cigarettes is not a known cause of testicular cancer, a recent report indicated an increased risk in marijuana use, but this has to be replicated to be verified.
Overall, testicular cancer is not common; only around 8,000 men in the United States are newly diagnosed each year. However, it is the most common form of cancer in younger Caucasian men. Remember that regardless of risk factors, screening for testicular cancer remains important, as early diagnosis helps optimize chances for the best outcome.
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