Because the most common testicular cancer symptom is a painless lump in one testicle and a normal testis is naturally full of lumps and bumps caused by the various tubes and tissues, you should see your doctor for a proper examination if you have any concerns regarding this part of the anatomy.
Whilst the lump can be uncomfortable, acute pain is rare, although men with testicular cancer may have an aching or heavy feeling in the lower abdomen or scrotum.
In some cases, the testicle may be enlarged or swollen but without any specific lump.
Other symptoms, which result from testicular cancer which has metastasized to other parts of the body, can be breast tenderness or enlargement, back ache, coughing, breathing difficulties and lumps around the neck and collar bone.
Research into the causes of this disease is ongoing because reported cases are increasing.
One group of men who have been identified as being most at risk are those who were born with a testicle that remains in the abdominal cavity rather than descending into the scrotum.
If this condition is not treated before a boy is 11, he may be up to 32 times more likely to be affected by this cancer as he gets older.
Once a testicular cancer symptom has been highlighted, tests for the disease include assessing the blood for tumour 'markers' - increased levels of protein produced by a suspected tumour - and ultrasound scans.
However, a biopsy is the only certain way to diagnose testicular cancer.
Rather than removing a small portion of the lump for testing, in this disease, the whole testicle needs to be excised as cutting off a small sample can promote the spread of the cancerous cells.
With confirmation of the diagnosis, the extent of the disease is assessed in stages where 1 indicates that the cancer is confined to the testicle, 2 shows that it has spread to the abdominal lymph nodes, 3 marks the appearance of cancerous cells in the upper torso, and 4 that it has spread to the lungs or other organs.