Mesothelioma typically presents itself in the chest or abdomen, but in rare circumstances, it can develop in the testicles. Testicular mesothelioma occurs when mutated cells in the lining surrounding the testicle begin replicating uncontrollably.
Common symptoms, such as pain and swelling, are similar to several other illnesses. This is why a tissue biopsy is recommended to get an accurate diagnosis.
Patients with testicular mesothelioma generally live 20 months or longer after their diagnosis. Testicular mesothelioma has a slightly better prognosis than mesothelioma in the chest or abdomen.
Little is known about how this cancer develops. Unlike other forms of mesothelioma, there isn’t any conclusive evidence linking asbestos exposure to testicular mesothelioma.
There is a significant lack of research on testicular mesothelioma at this time. Although, asbestos exposure has been associated with some cases of testicular mesothelioma, there isn’t any concrete evidence to support asbestos exposure as a definitive cause of this disease.
Testicular mesothelioma is usually only properly diagnosed through a biopsy after surgery. Most doctors initially confuse testicular mesothelioma with other cancers or hernias. The most common symptom of testicular mesothelioma is the swelling of the testicles, but this symptom is not unique to this disease.
It is important to understand that testicular cancer is not the same as testicular mesothelioma. Testicular cancer is also rare, with an estimated 8,820 new cases in 2014. However, testicular cancer has a different cellular makeup than testicular mesothelioma. These two cancers also develop differently, forming tumors that are unique to each disease.
