Understanding Testicular Cancer

Can I Lower My Risk of Testicular Cancer? Screening and Prevention

Last updated and reviewed on June 28, 2026.

Testicular cancer does not have the same well-established prevention strategies that exist for cancers with stronger lifestyle-related risk factors. You cannot meaningfully reduce your testicular cancer risk the way you can reduce your lung cancer risk by not smoking, or your skin cancer risk by using sunscreen. Most of the known risk factors for testicular cancer, like having had an undescended testicle, a family history of the disease, or being in the peak age group, are things that cannot be changed.

What you can do is be well-informed, know your own body, and act quickly if something changes. Because testicular cancer is so highly treatable, especially when found early, the most practical form of prevention is really about early detection rather than prevention of the cancer itself. Understanding what screening tools exist, who they are for, and what to watch for in your own body puts you in the best possible position.

What Is Testicular Cancer Screening?

Screening means checking for a disease in people who have no symptoms. For many cancers, there are well-established screening programs, like mammograms for breast cancer or colonoscopy for colon cancer, that have been shown to reduce deaths from that disease in the general population.

For testicular cancer, no major medical organization currently recommends routine screening for the general population. This is not because testicular cancer is unimportant, but because the overall incidence in the general population is low enough that routine screening has not been shown to reduce deaths in a cost-effective and harm-balanced way. Testicular cancer also tends to be found relatively early because many men notice changes in their testicles themselves, and treatment is so effective at all stages that the benefit of catching it slightly earlier in asymptomatic men through a formal screening program has been hard to demonstrate clearly.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has evaluated testicular cancer screening and concluded that for adolescent and adult males with no symptoms and no known high-risk conditions, the current evidence does not support routine screening.

However, for men with known risk factors, particularly a history of cryptorchidism or a personal or family history of testicular cancer, heightened awareness, regular self-examination, and prompt evaluation of any scrotal change are strongly encouraged.

Types of Testicular Cancer Screening Tests

While there is no formal general population screening program, several tools are used when testicular cancer is suspected or when monitoring men at elevated risk.

• Testicular self-examination (TSE): Testicular self-examination is the practice of regularly feeling each testicle to check for any new lump, change in firmness, or change in size. It is simple, free, and can be done at home. The American Cancer Society notes that while routine self-exam has not been proven to reduce testicular cancer deaths in the general population (in part because outcomes are already excellent at all stages), being familiar with the normal feel of your testicles makes it easier to notice any change. For men at elevated risk, regular self-examination is a practical and reasonable habit.

The best time to do a self-examination is after a warm shower or bath, when the scrotal skin is most relaxed. Gently roll each testicle between the thumb and fingers, feeling the entire surface. The epididymis is the soft, rope-like structure at the back of each testicle and should not be mistaken for a lump. Look for any area that feels harder than normal, has a new bump or nodule, or feels different from before.

• Scrotal ultrasound: Scrotal ultrasound is the primary imaging tool used when a lump or change in a testicle is found, and testicular cancer is suspected. It uses sound waves to create a detailed image of the inside of the testicle and can usually tell whether a mass is solid (and therefore suspicious for cancer) or fluid-filled (and therefore more likely to be a benign cyst). Scrotal ultrasound is painless, widely available, does not use radiation, and is typically the first test ordered by a doctor when evaluating a testicular abnormality. It is highly accurate at identifying masses that require further workup.
• Serum tumor markers: Blood tests that measure certain proteins produced by testicular tumors are an important part of the workup when testicular cancer is suspected, though they are not used as standalone screening tools. The main markers are alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Elevated AFP is a sign of certain nonseminoma tumors. Elevated hCG can be seen in both seminoma and nonseminoma. These markers help confirm the diagnosis, guide staging, and monitor response to treatment.

When Should You Start Screening for Testicular Cancer?

Because there is no general population screening program for testicular cancer, there is no universal recommendation for when to start. However, the following guidance applies to different situations.

For the general population, no formal screening start date is recommended. Being aware of what is normal for your own body and seeing a doctor promptly if something changes is the most practical guidance.

• For men with a history of cryptorchidism: Even if surgically corrected, lifelong awareness of the elevated risk is appropriate. Regular self-examination and prompt evaluation of any new scrotal change are encouraged. Many urologists recommend periodic follow-up for men with this history.
• For men with a personal history of testicular cancer in one testicle: Regular clinical follow-up with scrotal examination and, in some programs, periodic ultrasound of the remaining testicle is part of standard surveillance.
• For men with a father or brother who has had testicular cancer: Discussing the elevated family risk with a doctor is reasonable. Some specialists recommend heightened self-examination awareness for these men, though there are no formal surveillance protocols for this group in most guidelines.

Which Screening Tests Should I Choose?

For men who want to be proactive about their testicular health, regular testicular self-examination is the most accessible approach and is reasonable to begin in the mid-teen years and continue throughout adulthood.

If a self-examination reveals any new lump, firmness, or change in how a testicle feels, the next step is to see a doctor promptly and request a scrotal ultrasound. This is the definitive first-line test for evaluating a suspicious testicular abnormality, and it is almost always the right starting point.

Men at elevated risk who have concerns about their testicular health should discuss the situation with their primary care provider or a urologist. A urologist can perform a clinical exam, order an ultrasound if warranted, and discuss whether any more structured follow-up makes sense for the individual's specific risk profile.

Reducing Your Risk of Testicular Cancer Through Lifestyle Changes

As discussed, there are no proven lifestyle changes that meaningfully reduce the risk of developing testicular cancer the way lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of some other cancers. The known risk factors are largely biological and not modifiable.

What does make a difference is early detection through awareness, self-examination, and prompt medical evaluation when something changes. The reason testicular cancer has such excellent outcomes compared to many other cancers is largely that it tends to be noticed at an early stage, when treatment is simple, highly effective, and associated with a near-certain cure.

For young men, the most important things to do are to be familiar with what their testicles normally feel like, to do a monthly self-examination, to not delay seeking medical attention if they notice a lump or change, and to be honest with their doctor about their history, including any history of undescended testicle. Embarrassment or avoidance in a young man who notices a lump in his testicle is one of the main causes of delayed diagnosis in testicular cancer, and it is a delay that can be genuinely harmful in what would otherwise be one of the most straightforward cancer diagnoses to treat.

For parents of boys, being aware of cryptorchidism, discussing it with a pediatrician if a testicle has not descended normally by the first year of life, and ensuring timely surgical correction if needed are the most practical preventive steps available.

Sources:

1. American Cancer Society. Can Testicular Cancer Be Prevented? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/testicular-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html
2. American Cancer Society. Can Testicular Cancer Be Found Early? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/testicular-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
3. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Testicular Cancer Screening. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/testicular-cancer-screening
4. National Cancer Institute. Testicular Cancer Screening (PDQ) Patient Version. https://www.cancer.gov/types/testicular/patient/testicular-screening-pdq