“Testis-sparing surgeries are now in the arsenal for many expert centers that treat testicular cancer.”

Not all testicular lumps – particularly, those smaller than 2 cm, as seen on ultrasound – are cancer; some are not. “Most men with a testicular mass greater than 2cm have cancer, but for many men with a mass less than 2cm, it is a benign growth on the testicle,” says urologist Nirmish Singla, M.D. Thus, “testis-sparing surgeries are now in the arsenal for many expert centers that treat testicular cancer.” In testis-sparing surgery, the mass is removed and analyzed in real-time for cancer. “Testicles with benign tumors can often be spared, while testicles with cancerous tumors are usually removed.”

In a study published in the World Journal of Urology, Hopkins researchers led by former resident Zeyad Schwen, M.D., now on the faculty at Cleveland Clinic, discovered that ultrasound often underestimates the size of sub-2cm testicle masses, and that determining the mass’s volume may better characterize the risk of a benign or malignant testicular tumor. “These data help us counsel men about their risk of cancer and our ability to save the testicle,” notes Singla.