Types of Testicular Cancer

There are two types of testicular cancer that account for the large majority of tumors of the testicles. They are generally separated into the seminomas and the nonseminomas. Both types grow from the germ cells of the testes. The germ cells are the cells in the body that give rise to the cells that come together during reproduction. Therefore, the germ cells in males are the cells in the testes that give rise to sperm. Germ cells in females give rise to ova (eggs) in the ovaries.

Rarely, tumors can also arise from the non-germ cell tissues in the testes. These are generally not cancers, they are benign tumors. These types of tumors are called stromal tumors and can be separated into Leydig Cell and Sertoli Cell tumors depending on which stromal cells in the testes they arise from. They are most common during childhood.

Types of Testicular Cancer and Other Tumors

Non-Seminomas: The non-seminomas include a number of different tumor types that can occur in the testes, as well as in other parts of the body in both men and women. These include various pathologies such as choriocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumors and teratomas. They vary from more benign, such as most teratomas, to very malignant, such as the rare choriocarcinoma.

Stromal Tumors: As mentioned above, Leydig Cell and Sertoli Cell tumors are benign tumors of the testes that are relatively rare. They tend to occur during childhood and arise from the non-germ cell tissues in the testes, namely the supporting cells that help sperm develop and the endocrine cells that secrete reproductive hormones.