Risk Factors

Unfortunately, the causes of testicular cancer are not yet known, but there are certain risk factors that increase a man’s chance of developing the disease. The risk factors for testicular cancer include:

• Age
  Testicular cancer can occur at any age, but is most commonly found in men between the ages of 15 and 40.
   
• Having an undescended testicle
  An undescended testicle, called cryptorchidism, is a condition where the testicles fail to descend from the abdomen down to the scrotum shortly before birth.
   
• Family history
  If someone in your family has had testicular cancer, you have an increased risk of developing the disease.
   
• Race and ethnicity
  The risk for testicular cancer in Caucasian men is more than five times that of African-American men and more than double that of Asian-American men.

Keep in mind that having one or more risk factors for testicular cancer does not mean that you will develop the disease. However, it is important that you share with your provider any risk factors that may apply to you.