Diagnosed With Undesciened Testicle. Is There Any Risk Of Cancer?
My 7 years old son diagnosed with undesciened testicle. we are waiting for oltrasound and operation after maybe few months in the waiting list.
If he have operation sooner do you think it is going to help him not getting effected by risk of cancer and growing the testicels?and how can we get it sooner?
after operation is there still risk of cancer and unfeterity? he has other testicle down in the scorn.
what can we do for him before and after operation and dose he need to be monitore regulary for his problem?
the point is he and me felt a ball couple of times look like the testicle which seemed went up again. unfourtunatly doctors couldn,t realized and we have to waite for ultrasound. can we get that private I mean by paying money to get it quickly?
thanks
XXXXXXX
Welcome to XXXXXXX
The issues of concern are
1. Subfertility
2. Testicular tumour ( testicular cancers are not too bad, treatable and sometimes curable and hence tumour is a better term).
The current recommendation is to operate between 6 months and 2 years of age. The reason is to preserve fertility. Tumour risk is the same as the testis is not a normal one.
So, by doing early procedure the tumour risk is the same but there may be a marginal benefit on fertility.
So, a question may arise - why not remove the affected testis as it is cancer prone?
It has been found that even though only one testis is affected, the other one also can develop a tumour. Also, the brought down testes and the usual one can be felt on regular basis ( self examination of the testes to detect early tumour) and treated appropriately.
Last but not the least, the male hormone function is usually preserved even in the undescended testis and it can add on to the male hormone levels of the body.
In essence, waiting few months may not matter.
Hope this answers your query, kindly get back for doubts if any.
Regards,
DR GS
so you think there will be a risk of cancer for him after operation.
Welcome back.
I mean the risk does not change by operation. It remains the same.
Surgery lets the doc and the patient examine the testis periodically.
Regards,
DR GS
what should we do after operation to make sure if the cancer happens we spot it soon?
when you say it is a treatment cancer not cureable what is the meaning of that?
in which age the cancer may happen?
is there anything we can do to put the risk of cancer down?
what is the things he or we have to do or not to do after operation?
I am very angry and upset why when he born and a doctor checked him couldn,t realized his problem even last year he had pain under his XXXXXXX and his doctor checked him and said there is infection but didn,t say why and where or didn,t send him for more investigate.
Welcome back. I have actually answered most of them in my first reply. To reinforce---
1. Cancer prevention is not in our hands, but early detection is.
2. Testes self examination (like for early detection of breast cancers) detects early cancers which may be curable ( this not like other bad cancers) as it responds well to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
3. Self examination needs to be practiced from adolescent age group.
4. Nothing is in your hand to put the risk down, unfortunately.
In essence,
Kindly get him operated to get the testis down in the scrotum. Let him grow as a normal child. From age of 14 to 15, he can be taught self examination and say yearly medical examination,tumour markers and possibly ultrasound by a urologist/ trained GP.
He may be a very sweet child and it is not his fault at all. Kindly give him the loving care as a mother and follow medical advice as above.
Hope this helps you and him.
Regards
DR GS
Thank you so much for your useful information and kind opinions
Do you think is it a good idea to get health insurance for him as maybe it can help him financially to get health services in his future like cancer theropy and so on?
or it is not necessary?
Welcome back.
If you are in the UK, NHS has a great network of hospitals to support him.
Still, if the insurance is affordable, it is wise to have one.
In india, most middle class people have one - as we dont have great support from the govt setup, unlike NHS.
Wishing him best health.
Regards
DR GS
Dear DR GS
Thank you for all your support. I would like to keep open my folder may be we need to come back to you after oltrasound or operation if it is possible.
Warm Regards XXXXXXX
You are welcome anytime.
Regards
DR GS