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You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Medical Specialists > Oncology (General Cancer) > Convinced its testicular cancer
Expert: Doug Bank - 11/11/2009
Question
QUESTION: I am a 30 year old male. Age 11 i had an operation to bring down an undescended testicle. 21 months ago i felt a lump in the same testicle and developed a dull ache. I already had epidydmal cysts in that testicle (diagnosed by previous ultrasound) but this lump felt different and new. Since then i have had 3 ultrasounds and tumor markers - all of which are negative. But now i have started having headaches and stomach aches. The lump doesnt appear to have increased in size and the dull ache has not got any worse. My doctor thinks i have convinced myself that i have cancer and the headaches and stomach aches are by products of that. I work in the scientific field so have some medical knowledge. Surely 3 negative ultrasounds means i should be in the clear...but what is causing the dull ache/headaches/stomach aches? thanks!
ANSWER: Michael,
neither headaches or stomach aches are typical symptoms of testicular cancer, so it is entirely possible that they are psychosomatic. I think you have to assume you do not have testicular cancer after all those tests. Unfortunately, just because I say it is not cancer does not mean I know what it is. Some men have pain down there for no discernable reason. I think your best bet is to ask the urologist, if it isn't cancer, what is causing the pain and/or can something be done to control it. If you focus on cancer, so does the doctor and they lose sight of the problem - in this case the pain in your testicle.
Could it be cancer? I think the ultrasound is one of the best tests there is to identify testicular cancer. I don't know many people - maybe one - who had a false negative ultrasound. You've had it done 3 times, so there must not be anything there. Are you sure it is not something else like a hernia or varicocele?
Doug
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Dear Doug,
Thank you so much for your quick response. I was told my my urologist that it was epidydimal cysts but i am sure one of the lumps is on the testicle. My last ultrasound was 3 months ago done my a senior clinical radiologist and he simply said there was just cysts. I thought that headaches and stomach aches were a symptom of late stage TC - but even though to go from a negative ultrasound to late stage TC in 3 months doesnt seem realistic. My doctor now wants me to see a behavaroual psychologist but i seem to tick all the right boxes for TC i cant get over it. What about a CT scan? But i guess there is no clinical indication for me to be exposed to that
thanks very much again and best wishes
michael
Answer
There's no chance you could have late stage TC and still have normal tumor markers. And those still aren't really symptoms of late stage cancer.
The ultrasound is excellent at differentiating between masses inside the testicle and outside it and between solid and hollow. If they say it is an epididymal cyst, that is what it is. That doesn't mean it can't feel like it is on the testicle or cant hurt, but it isn't cancer.
Doug
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