About 70 percent of men with advanced testicular cancer can be cured, according to the National Cancer Institute. Occasionally there can be pain. The lump typically is pea-sized, but sometimes it might be as big as a marble or even an egg. These symptoms can be caused by conditions other than cancer. But only a doctor can tell for sure, and it is critical to seek attention promptly.
Physicians have various methods to help diagnose testicular cancer.
Often a physical exam can rule out disorders other than cancer. Imaging techniques can help indicate possible tumors. One such method is ultrasound, which creates a picture from echoes of high-frequency sound waves bounced off internal organs. But the only positive way to identify a tumor is for a pathologist to examine a tissue sample under a microscope. Doctors obtain the tissue by removing the entire affected testicle through the groin, a procedure called inguinal orchiectomy.