advice: one of my testicles is bigger than the other. could it be cancer?
they don't have to be the same size.
3 minute read
it's normal to have testicles that aren't the same size. stock/getty
dear asking for a friend,
i have a hard question for a guy. it’s about my testicles. i notice that one is slightly larger than the other — i am not sure how long they have been like that, but i know they haven’t always been like this. of course, i can’t help thinking about the big ‘c.’ i am wondering what testicles should look and feel like, and also what could be causing this? i have made a virtual appointment with my doctor, not looking forward to that reveal.
signed, not having a ball
dear not having a ball,
you’re certainly not alone. most men are embarrassed to discuss issues below the belt with their doctor, and some will even procrastinate getting checked until it’s too late. according to psychologists, most men worry about losing a part of their body often associated with “manhood and courage” and that fear usually gets in the way of prevention. since you brought up cancer, in its early stages, testicular cancer is often painless, but if caught early, it can save your life. that said, shrinkage can happen for a number of different reasons, and it’s not always the big “c.”
“it’s normal to have a size discrepancy between the left and the right testicle, they don’t necessarily have to be exactly the same size,” says dr. dean elterman, urologic surgeon at princess margaret cancer centre and assistant professor in the department of surgery at the university of toronto. “but there are some conditions that can cause shrinking of the testicles.”
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dr. elterman explains that injury, low levels of testosterone and varicocele can impact size. varicocele often appears during puberty and causes the veins in the scrotum to swell. this can impact sperm count and lead to fertility issues for some men, although as dr. elterman points out, men who have one testicle can still have children. and while the cause of varicocele is not clear, many experts believe that improper blood flow within the valves inside the veins can shrink and soften the testicles.
according to the canadian cancer society, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men as the number of new cases continues to rise each year. men are most often diagnosed after the age 14, the odds peak around age 30 and decline thereafter. early puberty, family history, exposure to certain chemicals and hiv infection or aids are just some of the known risk factors for the disease. dr. elterman says that a firm, pea-size lump can be a telltale sign of unhealthy testicles, and a larger lump or multiple lumps are “a concern for testicular cancer and should be checked immediately with a doctor.”
a cancer diagnosis is a scary thing, but the good news is that this particular cancer can be treated successfully with chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. “testicular cancer has a high survival rate if caught early,” says dr. elterman. “even if it has spread, we have great medications like chemotherapy that can cure men, but catching it early is the most important thing to do.”
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