They can seldom explain why one person gets it while another doesn't, but research does show that some men are more likely to develop testicular cancer. For example, the risk is higher than average for boys born with their testicles in the lower abdomen rather than in the scrotum. Research has also shown that testicular cancer is sometimes linked to certain other rare conditions in which the testicles do not develop normally. Some patients with testicular cancer have a history of injury to the scrotum. But no one knows whether such an injury can actually cause cancer.
Many doctors think such an injury simply calls attention to a tumor that was already growing.
Every man can help himself by seeing a doctor promptly if he notices any symptoms of testicular disease. Researchers are looking for additional tumor markers that may be present in abnormal amounts in the blood or urine of a person with very early testicular cancer. If such markers are found, it might be possible to detect testicular cancer even before any symptoms are noticed. Several such markers have been studied, and research is continuing. Treatment Researchers are looking for treatment methods that are more effective and easier for patients to tolerate.