A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and talking about them with yourdoctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.The following factors can raise a man’s risk of developing testicular cancer. However, it is important to note that the cause of testicular cancer is not known.

• Age: More than half of testicular cancer diagnoses occur in men between the ages of 20 and 45. However, men of any age can develop this disease, including men in their teens and in their 60s, so it is important that any man with symptoms oftesticular cancer visit the doctor.
• Cryptorchidism: Cryptorchidism is an undescended testicle, meaning that one orboth testicles do not move down into the scrotum before birth as they should. Men with this condition have an increased risk of developing testicular cancer. This risk may be lowered if surgery is used to correct the condition before the boyreaches puberty. Some doctors recommend surgery for cryptorchidism when a boy is between six and 15 months to reduce the risk of infertility. Infertility is the inability to produce children. Because cryptorchidism is often corrected at ayoung age, many men may not know if they had the condition. Family history. A man who has a close relative, particularly a brother, who has had testicular cancer has an increased risk of developing testicular cancer.
• Personal history: Men who have had cancer in one testicle have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other testicle. It is estimated that out of every 100 men with testicular cancer, two will develop cancer in the other testicle. 
• Race: Although men of any race can develop testicular cancer, white men are more likely than men of other races to be diagnosed with testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is rare in black men. However, black men with testicular cancer are more likely to die of the cancer than white men, particularly if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body when it is diagnosed.
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: Men with HIV or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the HIV virus have a slightly higher risk of developing seminoma.

Source: Cancer.Net’s Guide to Testicular Cancer (4/2016)