Testicular cancer staging systems are critical for your care. They give doctors a common language to describe testicular tumors. This information helps you quickly receive the most effective treatments for your situation.
At the Abramson Cancer Center, our world-renowned testicular cancer experts treat the most testicular cancer cases in Philadelphia and the tri-state area. Our experience leads to uncommon skill in the diagnosis and staging of even the most complex testicular cancers.
Why Testicular Cancer Staging Is Important
Knowing the stage of the cancer tells you and your care team:
- The size, aggressiveness and growth of the cancer
- The extent of the cancer (how much there is) and if it has spread to other parts of the body
- Details needed to determine the best plan for treatment
Staging testicular cancer helps our oncologists compare each person’s situation to other people with testicular cancer. With this information, they can better understand how the cancer may behave and how treatments may work.
What Are the Stages of Testicular Cancer?
Testicular cancer stages range from 0 to III. The letters A, B and C add further detail to each number. The higher the number and letter, the more the cancer has spread. Stage IIIC is the most advanced stage of testicular cancer.
Testicular cancers are highly curable even when found at later stages when they have spread (metastatic testicular cancer).
Testicular Cancer Prognosis
A prognosis describes how well doctors expect the cancer to respond to treatment. One factor that determines testicular cancer prognosis is which of the two main types of testicular cancer you have:
- Seminomas: Seminomas are slow-growing and account for 40 percent of testicular cancers.
- Nonseminomas: Nonseminomas come in one of four subtypes and tend to grow faster than seminomas.
How We Stage Testicular Cancer
At the Abramson Cancer Center, we use the American Joint Committee on Cancer’s TN(S)M staging system. The TN(S)M system determines a cancer’s stage based on four factors:
- Tumor (T): The T category describes the size and extent of the original tumor.
- Lymph nodes (N): The N category describes if and how much the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
- Serum tumor markers (S): The S category describes serum tumor marker levels. Testicular cancer tumor markers are substances that tumors release into the blood. Testicular cancer tumor markers include alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
- Metastases (M): The M category describes if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
To stage the cancer, you may undergo tests that include:
- Testicular ultrasound to show the inside of the testicle
- Blood tests to find testicular cancer tumor markers
- Testicular cancer surgery and biopsy to remove and analyze testicular tissue under a microscope
- Imaging tests to see if the cancer has spread
Testicular cancer staging is complicated. That’s why it’s important to get care from doctors with the experience and expertise to see details about the cancer that lead to effective treatment. Our testicular cancer team includes pathologists (lab specialists) and radiologists (imaging specialists) who subspecialize in genitourinary cancers like testicular cancer. They work closely with our integrated team of specialists to classify every detail of the cancer.
Make an Appointment
Please call 800-789-7366 or request a callback.