I have two very small lumps on the front of my left testicle, I hear that it could be the only early symptom of cancer, I also hear an undescended testicle that has been fixed creates and even greater risk, but I also hear the lumps are the size of a pea, mine are alot smaller than a pea. (BTW: im 13 years old) should I contact a doctor or what?

If the lumps are small, hard and seem to be free floating, they are probably harmless. If they have been growing and are soft and seem attached to the tissue, then get to doctor right away. Even if hard and small, it is not worth the risk to avoid the doctor. Tell your parents and get it checked out either way, to be safe.

I have a doctor appointment on the 17th for another sickness, and you people always seem to be like "right away" "dont wait" "get there as quick as you can" for these kind of things, can it wait that long?

The surface of the testicle should be completely smooth. The only thing you should feel is the epidydimus attached to the top and bottom and along the back of the testicle, which will feel like a soft tube that may hurt a little when touched. That's it - there shouldn't be any lumps anywhere else, and they should not be hard lumps anywhere.

If it is cancer, the sooner its treated, the better. That's why people keep saying get to the doctor ASAP. If its caught too late, it could kill you.

Well im scheduled for the doctor for the 17th for something else, I guess that wont be 'too late' but if it is cancer, is it getting to be too late since there is 2 or 3 lumps on one of my testicles? I thought cancer usually only came up with 1 lump (or small pea-sized tumor).. Also to get you al the information, not sure if this has anything to do with it, I have some swollen lymph nodes.. have been here for 3 weeks, and all tests test negative for mono. so the doctor really doesnt know what it is, could swollen lymph nodes also be a symptom of this cancer.. (sorry about all of this, I just worry alot)

[This message has been edited by GateKeepeR (edited 06-07-2003).]

And also, how exactly does cancer kill, like testicle cancer, do u just go to sleep one day and not wake up.. or does something really bad happen (like getting sick, convulsions?, etc.?) happen and you have to go the hospital then u just die, or does ur heart just stop, what happens??

Yes, swollen lympth nodes can be caused by cancer. My suggestion is to call up your doctor's office and tell them you have detected lumps. They may ask you to decribe them and, if they feel it is imperitive you get right in, they will reschedule your appointment. If after hearing a description of them they don't seem too concerned, then you can relax.

Well ive already been to the doctor for lymph nodes, took a blood test and the test was negative for mono. (also, does this test detect other things too.. like testicular cancer, etc.??), and then I went back a week later (exactly a week ago Tuesday) and took the test again, negative for mono. again, although I did not tell him about the lumps then, I had had them before then though, maybe a few weeks, so that counts as me having them for about a month or two now though, so should I call him and tell him about these lumps, and describe them and see if I need to reschedule or what, or were you talking about describiing the lymph nodes, Magnetic?

If these lumps showed up 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 months ago, and now I have swollen lymph nodes, is it too late if I DO have cancer to live?

Also.. so you dont get confused.. the swollen lymph nodes are on my neck

Went to the doctor today.. he told me it was probably a varicocele or a spermocele(sp?).. and I have to go to my urologist(sp?) sometime.. I just hope that it is not bad enough that I have to have surgery to get them removed because of infertility or whatever. I have had 2 surgeries before, both because of hydroceles.. surgery in your testicles = not fun. at all. Well I am just glad to know its not cancer or anything totally serious. Thanks guys.

[This message has been edited by GateKeepeR (edited 06-09-2003).]

Glad to hear its not cancerous. That's why its good to see a doctor for these things. Its hard for people to describe what you have, which makes it difficult to diagnose the problem on this board.

Anyway, I've had a large varicocele before, and had the surgery to correct it, so I know quite a bit about varicoceles. If you have any questions, let me know.

Regardless, you should be relieved - varicoceles are virtually harmless, while cancer can be deadly.

To answer your earlier question about testicular cancer and symptoms: the danger with testicular cancer is it doesn't have many symptoms other than lumps on the testicle, and sometimes a bit of pain, until its too late. Testicular cancer, like other cancers can easily spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system. So it can start out as testicular cancer, but end up as colon cancer, brain cancer, whatever, and that will kill you. If it spreads too much, it can be difficult or impossible to treat. If testicular cancer is caught early, it is easy to contain, and is one of the most successfully treated cancers out there. Just look at Lance Armstrong - he had it, caught it early, lost a testicle, but made a full recovery. Not only is he a world champion cyclist, but he's also a father (post cancer). So the key is to do the TSE at least once a month in the shower. Do that, and you'll have no worries.

Well it was just 2 little lumps, but now it really lives up to "looking like a bag of worms", so I guess it really is a varicocele, now its a bunch of lumps all along the side of my testicle, not connected to it though, well I'm glad I know what it is and all it will take is probably just outpatient surgery (which I know how that is, have had 2 hydroceles before) and not cancer and have to be treated with all that --therapy stuff

[This message has been edited by GateKeepeR (edited 06-12-2003).]

focus, since you've had a varicocele, i have a small pain in my balls, SOMETIMES, very very rarely, and only when I really think about it and notice it, its like a numb like feeling in both of my testicles, its been happening ever since I went to the urologist, but its like a 2 or 3/10 on the pain scale, so its not really annoying me, but im just wondering if I should get this thing corrected, cuz he said I should only get it corrected if it causes pain or the left testicle doesnt grow, do u think this could be from soemthin else, it feels like i only get this pain whenever i walk around a whole whole bunch.. but im thinking its almost all in my head =/

[This message has been edited by GateKeepeR (edited 07-15-2003).]