They usually diagnose testicular cancer with a simple step‑by‑step process: exam, ultrasound, blood tests, and sometimes surgery to remove the whole testicle for lab analysis.

How Do They Test for Testicular Cancer? (Quick Scoop)

1. First step: talk and physical exam

A doctor usually starts with:

  • Questions about symptoms: lump, heaviness, ache in a testicle, or changes in size.
  • Physical exam of your scrotum and testicles: they gently feel for any lumps, firmness, or differences between the two sides, and check groin and abdomen lymph nodes.

This part can feel awkward, but it’s quick and usually not painful.

2. Ultrasound of the testicles

If there’s a lump or anything that feels off, the next standard test is an ultrasound of the scrotum.

  • A small probe with gel is moved over the scrotum.
  • It uses sound waves to create images of the inside of the testicles (no radiation).
  • It helps tell if a lump is solid (more suspicious for cancer) or fluid‑filled (often benign, like a cyst).

Most people describe it as a bit awkward but painless.

3. Blood tests for tumor markers

If the ultrasound looks suspicious, doctors order blood tests for tumor markers.

They often check levels of:

  • Alpha‑fetoprotein (AFP)
  • Beta‑human chorionic gonadotropin (β‑HCG)
  • Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)

Some testicular cancers make these substances, so high levels can support the diagnosis and later help track how well treatment is working.

4. The key step: surgery to confirm

Unlike many other cancers, they usually do not take a small needle biopsy directly from the testicle, because that can risk spreading cancer cells.

Instead, if tests strongly suggest cancer, the usual next step is:

  1. Inguinal orchiectomy – surgery through the groin to remove the affected testicle.
  1. The whole testicle is sent to a lab, where a pathologist looks at the tissue under a microscope to confirm if it’s cancer and what type it is.

This surgery is both a treatment and the only way to be 100% sure of the diagnosis.

Most men still have normal erections, sex drive, and fertility with one healthy testicle, though sperm banking is sometimes discussed before treatment.

5. Scans to see if it has spread

If cancer is confirmed or strongly suspected, doctors may order imaging to check the rest of the body:

  • CT scan of abdomen and chest to look at lymph nodes and lungs.
  • Occasionally MRI or chest X‑ray, depending on the case.

These scans help stage the cancer (how far it has spread), which guides treatment.

6. What about screening or self‑checks?

  • There is no routine population screening program (like mammograms), because it hasn’t clearly been shown to reduce deaths.
  • Many cases are first found by the man himself noticing a lump or change, or during a regular physical exam.

A simple rule of thumb: if you notice a new lump, swelling, hardness, or persistent ache in a testicle , get it checked—early testicular cancer is often highly curable.

7. Forum‑style snapshot (what guys often report)

“I went in because I felt a pea‑sized lump. Doc did a quick feel, sent me for an ultrasound the same day, then blood tests. A week later I had surgery to remove the testicle, and that’s how they confirmed it.”

Typical real‑world sequence many patients describe:

  1. Notice a lump or weird heaviness.
  2. See GP or urgent clinic → physical exam.
  3. Ultrasound scheduled (often within days).
  4. Blood tests for tumor markers.
  5. Referral to urologist.
  6. If suspicious: orchiectomy to confirm.

8. “Latest news” and current approach (mid‑2020s)

  • The basic testing steps (exam → ultrasound → blood tests → surgery if needed) have stayed the same in recent years.
  • Ongoing research is looking at more refined imaging, better tumor marker panels, and long‑term follow‑up strategies, but these are add‑ons rather than replacements for the core tests above.

Most cancer centers in 2025–2026 follow very similar diagnostic pathways.

9. If you’re worried right now

If you’ve found a lump or change:

  1. Don’t wait and don’t try to self‑diagnose.
  2. Book an appointment with a GP, urgent care, or urologist and clearly say you’ve found a testicular lump.
  3. Ask directly about:
    • Physical exam findings
    • Need for ultrasound
    • Tumor marker blood tests
    • How quickly you can see a urologist if needed

Testicular cancer, when caught early, has one of the highest cure rates of any cancer.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.