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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that increase the risk of a scrotal mass vary because of the variety of causes of abnormalities in the scrotum. Significant risk factors include the following:
Undescended or retractile testicle
An undescended testicle is a testicle that never leaves the abdomen and, therefore, never enters the scrotum during fetal development or early infancy. A retractile testicle is one that has descended into the scrotum at some point but retreats to the abdomen. An undescended or retractile testicle may increase the risk of:
- Inguinal hernia
- Testicular torsion
- Testicular cancer
Abnormalities present at birth
Abnormalities of the testicles, penis or kidneys present at birth (congenital) may increase the risk of a scrotal mass and testicular cancer later in life.
History of testicular cancer
If you have had cancer in one testicle, you're at increased risk of cancer affecting the other testicle. If your father or brother has had testicular cancer, you also have an increased risk of the cancer.
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- Testicular cancer. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch241/ch241h.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
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- Brenner JS, et al. Causes of painless scrotal swelling in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2009.
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- Elder J. Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In: Kliegman R, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders/Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142753628-2/0/1608/1246.html?tocnode=54484554&fromURL=1246.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50547-8_9817. Accessed May 20, 2009.
- Cole FL, et al. The acute, nontraumatic scrotum: Assessment, diagnosis, and management. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 2004;16:50.
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- Testicular cancer: Questions and answers. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/testicular. Accessed May 25, 2009.
- Cooper C, et al. Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
- Barthold JS, et al. The epidemiology of congenital cryptorchidism, testicular ascent and orchiopexy. Journal of Urology. 2003;170:2396.
- Eyre RC. Evaluation of the acute scrotum in adult men. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2009.
- Information from your family doctor. Testicular cancer. American Family Physician. 2004;69:613.
