Nikola Topic cancer diagnosis: Latest updates on Thunder player undergoing treatment for testicular cancer

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topić will remain sidelined for the foreseeable future after the team disclosed his testicular cancer diagnosis.

Topić, the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, has yet to appear in a regular-season game due to injuries and health issues. He missed the entirety of the 2024 season while rehabbing a torn ACL and has been sidelined since undergoing a testicular procedure during training camp.

With respect to the gravity of the latest update on Topić’s health, the team has provided a positive outlook for his future. Here’s what to know about Topić’s diagnosis and what it means moving forward.

Nikola Topic health update

Topić has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

On Oct. 6, the Thunder announced that Topić would miss four to six weeks after undergoing a testicular procedure. Twenty-four days later, team president Sam Presti said the procedure was necessary for a biopsy to determine the issue.

Presti added that doctors are “extremely positive” about Topić’s long-term outlook and that he has begun chemotherapy. He has been able to work out while undergoing treatment.

There is no timetable for Topić’s return, but Presti said, “He’ll be back playing basketball when he’s able to.”

What kind of cancer does Nikola Topic have?

Topić has testicular cancer, the Thunder announced on Thursday, Oct. 30.

Nikola Topic age

Topic is 20 years old. He was born on Aug. 10, 2005.

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer occurs when unusual cells grow out of control in the tissue in one or both of a person's testicles, or testes. The cancer is generally rare, but occurs most in males aged 15 to 34.

Testicular cancer symptoms

WebMD describes some of the most common symptoms and signs of this cancer as follows:

• A change in the feel or size of one or both testicles
• A painless lump on the testicle
• Swelling or a feeling of weight in the scrotum, with or without pain
• Fluid collecting in the testicles
• Pain or a dull ache in the scrotum or groin area
• Soreness or changes in breast tissue
• Swelling in one or both legs
• Blood clots that may travel to the lungs and cause shortness of breath

Testicular cancer removal

There are various treatments for testicular cancer, some of which are surgical.

An orchiectomy is a surgery that removes a testicle. Testes-sparing surgery is when a doctor removes the tumor and leaves the testicle in place, which is usually done when the tumor is small and benign. A retroperitoneal lymph node dissection is a complex procedure that removes lymph nodes in the back of the abdomen.

Radiation therapy kills cancer cells in the testicle or lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is a series of drugs that can kill cancer cells throughout the body or stop them from dividing. These drugs can be taken orally, intravenously or through a shot in the muscle.

Testicular cancer survival rate

Testicular cancer is one of the most treatable forms. WebMD states that 95 percent of men diagnosed with testicular cancer live at least five years after their diagnosis.