A new study conducted by the Institute of Cancer research reveals that fifty percent of the risk of developing testicular cancer is caused by the genes in our DNA make-up. People who have a family history of testicular cancer stand a much greater risk of developing the disease than people with no family history of the disease.

The Study of Testicular Cancer Risks

For the purpose of the study, the researchers considered the risks associated with testiculare germ cell tumors. The germ cell tumors account for the majority of testicular cancer cases.

Two methods were employed to determine the risk factors of developing this type of testicular cancer.  Researchers looked at the family history connection and they examined the genetic code on men who had confirmed diagnosis of the disease.

The research included data from more than fifteen million people. In just the Swedish data that was collected there were nine thousand three hundred and twenty four confirmed cases of testicular cancer caused by the germ cell tumors.

The Results

The researchers determined that forty-nine percent of the things that contribute to a person being more prone to developing germ cell tumors of this sort were things you only get from inheritance. There are variations and mutations in the gene code of individuals with a strong family history of testicular cancer that do not exist in people who do not have the same family history of the disease.

More Research is needed

More research into this  fact is needed so that researchers can determine the exact genetic factors that create the higher testicular cancer risks. The research that has been concluded is beneficial, but there are a lot more genetic factors to be considered and examined so that the medical community can know for certain where a person’s risk of testicular cancer are.

The new information is exciting to doctors because it could mean early detection and the prevention of many deaths caused by this type of cancer.

What this means

Doctors and other health professionals can take this information that is available and use it as part of a testicular cancer management tool. Testicular cancer is like all the cancers in so far as the earlier it is detected the better the chances of survival are.

Doctors can gather the family history of their patients and when they see a history that includes germ cell tumor testicular cancer they can advise the patient to have early screenings, and to have more in depth screenings than would be recommended for men with no genetic history of the disease.

Men should take the opportunity to learn their genetic history of diseases like testicular cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, so that their physicians can be better prepared to order screenings, and tests that will help prevent diseases, or catch these chronic diseases before they occur and before they become life threatening conditions.