All patients will have a testicular ultrasound to demonstrate that they do indeed have a solid testicular swelling. In addition they will have blood tests to see if blood levels of two marker proteins are elevated viz. HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) and AFP (alpha foetoprotein), both of which may be secreted into the blood stream in cases on teratoma lineage tumours. The patient will then have abdominal and chest scanning to see if there is demonstrable disease outside the testis. The abdominal lymph nodes are the commonest next port of call for testicular cancer that will metastasise (i.e. spread beyond the testis).
