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Testicular Cancer Detection Tools
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Tests & Tools Used to Detect Testicular Cancer
Doctors at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) utilize diagnostic imaging tools and laboratory tests to detect testicular cancer, determine if it has spread to other organs and tissues in the body, and monitor how treatments are working. Some of the common tests they use are listed below. Another tool, an Extreme Drug Resistance Assay, helps CTCA doctors predict if specific chemotherapy drugs are likely to help fight the disease.
- Physical exam – Doctors at CTCA perform detailed physical examinations. They will ask about your medical history, examine your testicles for lumps, swelling and other symptoms of testicular cancer, and check other parts of your body (e.g., abdomen, lungs) for signs that the cancer may have spread.
- Ultrasound – CTCA doctors use ultrasound to help determine whether a testicular lump is a sac containing fluid or a solid mass. Ultrasound technology uses sound waves to produce echoes of the testicle and tumor. Typically, the echoes that tumors produce are different than those of healthy tissues.
- Blood tests – There are blood tests CTCA doctors use to help confirm that a testicular tumor is cancerous. These tests can pick up on whether certain proteins known as tumor markers are present in your blood. Additionally, the tests, which are conducted in a laboratory, may help CTCA doctors to know more about the extent of the disease. Used in conjunction with diagnostic imaging tests, they enable doctors to follow the progress of your testicular cancer treatment.
- CT – CT (computerized tomography) scans combine many x-ray images to show detailed views of soft tissue organs. CTCA doctors use these diagnostic imaging tests to see if testicular cancer has spread to other areas of the body and to stage the disease. CT scans also help doctors gauge whether treatment is working.
- MRI – Rather than using x-rays, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce exceptionally detailed images of the body. MRI allows for greater soft tissue contrast than CT. It also helps doctors to determine if testicular cancer may have spread.
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