Types of Testicular Cancer
Symptoms and different types of testicular cancer

Testicular cancer develops in the testicles, the primary male reproductive glands. The testicles are located in the scrotum below the penis and are suspended from the body by the spermatic cord. They produce sperm and testosterone. Luckily, testicular cancer is treated successfully in more than 95% of cases.
Signs and Symptoms
Testicular cancer may not always produce symptoms, which make diagnosis more difficult. A mass or lump in the testicle is usually the first sign of the disease. The mass may or may not be painful. Other symptoms include testicular swelling, hardness, and a feeling of heaviness or aching in the scrotum or lower abdomen.
Some types of testicular cancer produce high levels of hormones and may result in increased breast tissue and chest tenderness. Increased levels of estrogen may cause a loss of sexual desire and increased levels of testosterone may cause premature growth of facial and body hair in boys. Testicular cancer that has spread to other organs may cause low back pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough.
Main Types of Testicular Cancer
Most (95%) testicular cancer originates in undeveloped cells that produce sperm. These tumors, are called germ cell tumors and are most common in men between the ages of 20 and 40 and are curable in more than 95% of cases. There are two main types of germ cell tumors; they are called seminomas and nonseminomas. A third type, called stromal tumors, develops in the supporting tissues of the testicle.
Approximately 40% of germ cell tumors are seminomas, which are further classified as either typical or spermatocytic. Typical seminomas account for 90% of this type. They often cause testicle enlargement on one side or more often a painless lump in the testicle. Spermatocytic seminomas grow slowly, usually do not spread to other parts of the body.
On the other hand, nonseminomas account for 60% of germ cell tumors and develop in younger men between the ages of 15 and 35. Most nonseminomas contain cells from at least two subtypes of cancer, including choriocarcinoma (rare; aggressive; likely to metastasize), embryonal carcinoma (accounts for 20% of cases; likely to metastasize), teratoma (usually benign in children; rarely metastasize), and yolk sac carcinoma (most common in young boys; rare in men)
Testicular cancer may also develop in the supportive, hormone-producing tissue of the testicles. This type accounts for 4% of testicular cancer in men and 20% in boys. Types of stromal tumors include Leydig cell tumors and Sertoli cell tumors. Three quarters of Leydig cell tumors develop in men and a quarter develop in boys. Most tumors of this type are benign and treated successfully with surgery. However, if the tumor metastasizes, it often does not respond well to radiation or chemotherapy and the prognosis is poor.