i have gynocomastia! do i have testicular cancer again?????

[newbie123]

i had testicular cancer when i was an infant. I am 17 now and have been cancer free for over 15 years. my concern is that i have had gynocomastia (lumps under my nipples) for 4 or more years now and i heard it was a symptom of testicular cancer. I have also heard it is completly normal in teeneagers so i don't know if i should be worried. I am very scared of losing my other testicle. it has been slightly smaller lately and sore (probably becasue i have been constantly checking it)

do you think it can be cancer or am i just over reacting?

edit: i had my left testicle removed. would that lower my testosterone levels causing gynocomastia??? it's caused by to much estrogen in the systom a lot of the time ( or so i have read). does anyone else have this problem?

[Ras Joe]

Yes, the nipple thing can be a sign of TC (rarely). I developed the condition in between my RPLND and chemo. I could only relate the condition that I felt then to when going through puberty and my nips were really tender; a little swollen, etc. You could just be a late bloomer and are experiencing the symptoms of puberty? The only thing that I question is the duration you have experienced this for--- 4 years?? Go to a doc-- they will probably take blood tests to see what is causing your problem-- Best wishes.

[dadmo]

Testicular cancer in infants is very rare, are you sure that's what you had or was it some other form of cancer that caused the removal of the testicle? Even though it was 15 years ago your follow ups should be done every year. I wouldn't assume cancer but I would certainly get to an oncologist and set up a routine follow up schedule and the sooner the better. As for the gynocomastia, that was what set the signal flares up with my son. I wouldn't put off that routine followup. Is it possible for you to find out more information about your original cancer and post that here? We may be able to help you sort through the lab speak.

[newbie123]

it was definatly testicular cancer. teretoma maybe, i really have no clue. is gynocomastia common in testicular cancer surviviors?

[dadmo]

gynocomastia is a sign that something isn't quite right with your bodies production of hormones. It is one of the symptoms of tc but it could be many other (steroid use) things. With your history I would certainly get checked and think about making it an annual event.