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One Epididymis Felt Slightly Bigger Than Other. No Pain. Is This Cancerous?

Posted on Mon, 6 May 2013

Question: hii , my left epididymis felt slightly bigger than the right one and also I have a lump(of width 1.5/2 cm and like a small testicle) attached to my left testicle in its upper part since 11/12 years which is not having any pain and also not increasing in size. I saw that in a dark room light is clearly passing through the said lump. Is it cancerous ? and what about the differences in epididymis ? is it normal ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (9 minutes later)

Hello!

Thank you for the query.

There is only one lump which passes light freely and is quite common. It is called hydrocele. This is a cyst filled with clear fluid. And this is not cancerous. Slightly bigger epidydimis can be caused by this cyst as it can be attached to it. Moreover, nobody have even testicles and epidydimis. There is always one slightly bigger than the other one as it is created by the nature.
Epidydimis can get enlarged due to inflammation but the pain is very characteristic for this condition.
I suggest you to verify your lump with testis ultrasound. Hydrocele if getting bigger can be surgically removed.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (3 minutes later)

sir, is this lump is cancerous and if not can it be cancer in future (light is clearly passing through it) ? And U have said that epididymis get enlarged due to imflammation and get pain. But in my case there is no pain. Is it any thing serious ? Please help me.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (3 minutes later)

No, this is not cancerous. And hydrocele does not have ability to become cancerous in the future.
Lac of pain rules out epidydimis inflammation. If it is only slightly enlarged and does not get bigger, this is your normal size of it. And there is nothing to worry about.
But if you want to be 100% sure, please get ultrasound of your testis done.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (2 minutes later)

sir is hydeocele and epididymic cyst are same thing ? Sir can I leave it untreated because it is not creating any problem for me ? and can it affect my fertility ? Thank U.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (6 minutes later)

Hydrocele and epidydymic cyst (spermatocele) are almost the same thing. Only the place where it comes from is different. But it is hard to determine witch one you have (ultrasound can do it).
If it does not cause any problems for you and does not get bigger, it is better to leave it alone. It wont affect your fertility.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (6 hours later)

Thank U sir, as I have said before that the light is clearly passing through the said lump, so I will leave it as usual (because I have heard that lump allows light is not dangerous) or is it very very necessary to get ultrasound done ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (2 hours later)

This lump passes the light because it is filled with clear fluid so this makes it hydrocele or spermatocele like I have mentioned before.
You can do it without the ultrasound. Just check you testicles from time to time if this cyst is not getting larger, no pain, no hard bruise.
So the ultrasound is NOT extremely necessary.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (1 hour later)

THANK u SIR. Sir, as the cyst is allowing light can it so happen that it is XXXXXXX or cancerous ? and if not is there any chance that it will be cancer in future if left untreated ? sir , U have mentioned about the regular checking of it for it's enlargement/no pain/ being hard . Is there any chance of behaving this lump like that(enlargement etc.) in future ? that means after all my question is - Am I safe now with this lump ? and is it harmless for ever or there is any chance of being cancerous in future ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (9 hours later)

Ok, let me make it straight. From my point, where I can not examine you, and have only your description it is impossible to give 100% accurate diagnose.
I can only suspect that this is a cyst, but I can not tell you anything for sure. Not because I do not want to, but it is because you never know what is the real reason of this lump. Medicine is not a mathematics, and no one is able to give you 100% exact answer.
I can not tell from the point of this forum either something is cancerous or not. If I have told that, I would not be hones with you.
That is why I have asked you in this conversation to either have an ultrasound or observe this lump and check for size change, pain etc.
Usually (if the diagnose is confirmed with the ultrasound) such cyst DOES NOT get cancerous and does not bring any danger. So it can be left alone.

So once again, to be hones with you I have to tell it this way:
- it would be much safer for you to get this diagnosed (with ultrasound) than getting assumed at some forum that nothing wont happen
- if you will receive proper diagnosis and this lump (I know it passes light) will occur a cyst - there is no chance of cancer from this cyst, however it can get larger due to constant fluid accumulation
- but this can be 100% certain after the diagnose by ultrasound

Please try to understand that I want the best for you and wont say that everything will be fine not knowing if the diagnose is cyst. Its all for your safety.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (10 minutes later)

thank U sir. If I do ultrasound then what the technician shold be asked to do in medical term ? Please make me clear about another thing that is there any chance that light passing lump is also hard and cancerous (in general) ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (1 hour later)

It should be just a regular ultrasound of your testis. Ultrasound is usually performed by a doctor, not technician so the doctor should exactly know what to look for.
He should check if it is only fluid inside the cyst, where does this cyst comes from (epididymis or testis), what is the blood supply to the cyst and if there is nothing more in the scrotum (like tumors, which will be much different in the ultrasound than a cyst).
If it is about light passing lump, you do not know if it is only it out there. It can be a cyst and just close to it there can be another lump for example.
I`m pretty sure that what passes the light is a cyst. But I am not sure if this is the only thing out there. Sometimes (in very rare cases) fluid accumulation in the testis can be a sign of a cancer. That is why I have asked you for the ultrasound.

Hope you will find it helpful.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (4 minutes later)

thank U sir. My another question is that it is having with me since 11/12 years . Can testicular cancer be there for such along period ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (6 minutes later)

No, it can not be there for so long.
If it were cancer suspicious, I would tell you go to the doctor right away in my first reply to you. I didnt because in my opinion it is not a cancer. It is just a benign cyst.

But for your safety, I have suggested an ultrasound. You will do this ultrasound and everything will be clear. It is a precaution. Just for your safety and comfort. You are a young person and should not be worried about a cancer. So just get scheduled for an ultrasound and go there not expecting anything than a cyst diagnose.

Hope this will help.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (3 minutes later)

Ok sir. Can cyst be hard ? I am unable to know whether it is hard or soft in my case. Sorry if I am disturbing U again and again. Please help me sir.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (5 minutes later)

Cyst can be hard if the fluid is inside under some pressure. Sometimes it gets really hard like a ball. Nothing unusually in hardness of it. Cyst should have smooth surface.
As you have just mentioned, you are unable to determine the hardness of it because you dont have an experience with cysts and tumors. And this is fine. That is just another reason to make an ultrasound and do not worry about it anymore.

And you do not disturb me. Please ask as long as you will be satisfied.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (5 minutes later)

thank U so much sir. Really U are a very nice man. U have told that cyst should have a smooth surface . What does smooth surface mean? In my case the lump is not having any unusual surface. It is just felt like a small testicle(the surface is more regular than a testicle). So should this be called as smooth surface ?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (5 minutes later)

The smoothness of the surface is important because cancer cells when grow, dont have any pattern so it is kind of chaos. As the result it gives rough, uneven surface. It is because cancer cell is has DNA mutations and the only aim of such cell is to multiply as fast as possible and in all possible directions.
Other lumps and lesions when grow, they do it with consequence and regularity what gives smooth, even surface (it can be compared to the testicle surface).
So it seems your lump has smooth surface. And this is very good sign.

Regards.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar