No one knows the exact cause or causes of testicular cancer, and doctors can seldom explain why one person will get testicular cancer and another person will not. However, research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop the disease. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a disease.

Know the Risk Factors
Although the exact testicular cancer causes remain unknown, researchers have identified certain risk factors that increase a person's chances of developing the disease. These testicular cancer risk factors include:
--  Hereditary conditions
-- Being Caucasian
-- Being young
-- An undescended testicle
-- An abnormal development of the testicles
-- A personal or family history of testicular cancer

Undescended Testicle (Cryptorchidism)
Normally, the testicles descend from inside the abdomen into the scrotum before birth. When a testicle does not move down into the scrotum, the risk of developing testicular cancer increases. When surgery is used to move the testicle into the scrotum it does not change a man's risk of developing testicular cancer.
 
Congenital Abnormalities
Men who are born with abnormalities of the testicles, penis, kidneys, or inguinal hernia (hernia in the groin area where the thigh meets the abdomen) may have an increased risk of developing testicular cancer.