Testicular Cancer: Risk Factors and Symptoms

April 2, 2025

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, and the Fund Office is sharing helpful information about this cancer provided by our partners at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). Approximately 1 in 250 males will develop testicular cancer during their life, many of them between the ages of 15 and 35.

Risk Factors

The two main risk factors for testicular cancer are:

1) Having an undescended testicle. If you were born with a testicle that did not descend you have a greater risk of testicular cancer (even if you had surgery to fix the problem).

2) You already had testicular cancer. If you had cancer in one of your testicles, you’re more likely to get cancer in the other one.

Signs & Symptoms

The most common signs of testicular cancer are pain, swelling, or a lump/hardness in the testicle. If you find a lump in a testicle, see your healthcare provider immediately.

Less common symptoms include:

– Pain in the lower abdomen and/or groin

– Tenderness in the breast and surrounding area

– A painless lump in the testicle

– Heaviness in the scrotum

– Back pain

Additional Resources from MSK

To learn more about testicular cancer and men’s cancer screenings, we recommend reading this free digital brochure provided by MSK: https://nyccbf.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/ScreeningBrochure_Malefocus-dig.pdf

The NYCDCC Welfare Fund partners with Memorial Sloan Kettering to offer MSK Direct, a program that gives you guided access to expert cancer care. They provide resources and support throughout your care experience. To learn more screenings, as well as other cancer care related topics, visit the MSK Direct website for the NYCDCC Welfare Fund at www.mskcc.org/nycdcc.

If you or a loved one are impacted by cancer and would like to discuss treatment options available at MSK, please call the dedicated MSK Direct phone line for the NYCDCC Welfare Fund at (833) 786-3368.