Orchitis & Testicular Cancer Essay

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Orchitis & Testicular Cancer Essay

Orchitis and cancer of the testes are both alterations in the male reproductive system – the testes, but they are different in etiology, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations.

Orchitis is an “acute inflammation of the testes” (McCance & Huether, 2015, p.824). It is rare and usually, occur in conjunction with epididymitis (which is an acute inflammation of the epididymis). Its etiology can arise from viral infections, autoimmune disorders or it could be a complication of a previous urinary tract infection like cystitis, urethritis or prostatitis, other causes may include spread of granulomatous infection (Kreiger, 1984). The most common cause of orchitis is mumps and “usually affects post-pubertal males” (McCance & Huether, 2015, p. 825). Orchitis arises as a result of infectious spread from the bladder, urethra or prostate to the testes through lymphatic vessels or ductus deferens (Shulyak & Banyra, 2012). It can also be caused by the urethra, vas deferens, and epididymis (McCance & Huether, 2015). These infectious organisms activate pro-inflammatory materials like cytokines and tumor necrosis factor that carry out inflammatory processes leading to acute inflammation of the testes. Clinical manifestations of orchitis are due to the inflammation, and they include fever which could go as high as 40 degrees, pain which could radiate to the groin, edema, bilateral or unilateral erythema and leukocytosis (McCance & Huether, 2015). Bilateral orchitis does not affect hormonal function but may cause sterility of the patient.

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Cancer of the testes, on the other hand, is the growth of malignant tumors in the testes, and “it is among the most curable cancers with a cure rate of 95%” ( McCance & Huether, 2015, p. 825). Testicular cancer is uncommon and occurs in men between the ages of 15 and 35 years; it affects mostly white men than black men. The etiology of testicular cancer is unknown, but several risk factors could predispose one to have this cancer.Orchitis & Testicular Cancer Essay They include HIV and AIDS, history of testicular cancer, history of cryptorchidism which could be the reason why cancer of the testes occurs mostly in the right testes, and Klinefelter syndrome.  According to Khan and Protheroe testicular cancer could be divided into seminoma and non-seminoma (2007). The pathophysiology is not apparently known but it is suggested that environmental factors play a role in the development of this cancer. It is also believed that they arise from germ cells at different stages of development by undergoing abnormal division in response to environmental factors in utero ( Khan & Protheroe 2007). As the child grows and his hormones begin to function gonadotrophins then tend to stimulate these abnormal cells, and they continue to grow and spread. Clinical manifestation depends on the growth, and spread of the tumor, painless enlargement of the testes is the first sign. Pain may arise due to rapid growth leading to hemorrhage and necrosis, weight loss, anorexia, metastases could spread to different organs which could lead to signs like hemoptysis, bone pain, lumbar pain, and others.Orchitis & Testicular Cancer Essay