Your Mind & Body > Testicular Cancer and the Importance of Self Examination
At age 25, Lance Armstrong was one of the world's best cyclists. He proved it by
winning the World Championships, the Tour Du Pont, and multiple Tour de
Francestages. Lance Armstrong seemed invincible and he had a bright future.
Entering the peak of his career, Lance felt “bulletproof.” But he wasn't. Suffering
with a severe pain in his groin, Armstrong went to see a doctor who diagnosed
the problem: the cycling champion had testicular cancer and it had spread to his
lungs and stomach.
Scott Hamilton rose to the top with technical wizardry, athleticism, enthusiasm
and a natural flair to entertain. He used it to become a world and
Olympicchampion. But that zeal for life was severely tested when, at the age of
29 during the Stars on Ice tour, a doctor confirmed that the source of the lingerin
ache in Hamilton's stomach was testicular cancer.
An All-American football player at Wake Forest, Brian Piccolo was a tougher-than
nails, gutsy running back who faced opponents that towered over him. After
graduation he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bears and became close
friends with all-Pro running back Gayle Sayes. Brian Piccolo seemed so durable
and sturdy that he was the player called on to get the first down. At the age of 26,
Brian Piccolo was diagnosed with testicular cancer and his story was later told in
the movie “Brian’s Song.”
Who gets Testicular Cancer?
Cancer of the testicles –– the egg-shaped male sex glands located in a pouch of
skin called the scrotum –– usually occurs in men between the ages of 15 and 35,
although it can strike any male at any time. In the year 2000, an estimated 7600
cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in the United States, and a little less
than 400 of men with this cancer died. Disturbingly, the incidence of testicular
cancer around the world has basically doubled in the past 30-40 years. For
unknown reasons, the disease is about four times more common in white men
than in black men. Children born with an undescended testicle have an increase
risk of getting testicular cancer regardless of whether surgery is done to correct
the problem. (Parents should see that their infant boys are checked at birth for
undescended testicles.) Other risk factors include a family history of testicular
cancer, having an identical twin with testicular cancer, and a past injury to the
scrotum.
What are the symptoms of Testicular Cancer?
The earliest symptoms of testicular cancer are pain, swelling, or hardness in the
testis. Testicular cancer can also cause a number of other symptoms. Listed
below are warning signs that men should watch for:
- A lump in either testicle; the lump typically is pea-sized, but
sometimes it might be as big as a marble or even an egg.
- Any enlargement of a testicle.
- A significant shrinking of a testicle.
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
- A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum.
- Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum.
- Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts.
How to Examine your Testicles
Most testicular cancers are found by men themselves, by accident or when doing
a testicular self-examination. It is common knowledge that a monthly breast self
exam for women is an effective part of early breast cancer detection. For men,
starting at age 15, monthly self-exams of the testicles are also an effective way
of detecting testicular cancer at an early -- and very curable -- stage.
The self-exam for testicular cancer is best performed after a warm bath or
shower (heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to spot anything abnormal).
The National Cancer Institute recommends following these steps every month:
Stand in front of a mirror. Check for any swelling on the scrotal skin.
Examine each testicle with both hands. Place the index and middle fingers under
the testicle with the thumbs placed on top. Roll the testicle gently between the
thumbs and fingers. You shouldn't feel any pain when doing the exam. Don't be
alarmed if one testicle seems slightly larger than the other; that's normal. The
testicles are smooth, oval-shaped, and rather firm.
Find the epididymis, the soft, tube like structure behind the testicle that collects
and carries sperm. Once you are familiar with this structure, you won't mistake it
for a suspicious lump. Cancerous lumps usually are found on the sides of the
testicle but can also show up on the front. Lumps on the epididymis are not
cancerous.
If you find a lump, see your doctor right away. The abnormality may not be
cancer, but if it is, it will spread if not stopped by treatment. Waiting and hoping
will not fix anything.
Men who examine themselves regularly (once a month) become familiar with the
way their testicles normally feel. Any changes in the way they feel from month-to
month should be checked by a doctor.
Testicular cancer is treated by surgery, radiation therapy, and medication. In
most cases, surgery is done to remove the testicle. Sometimes it also is
necessary to remove lymph nodes in the abdomen if the cancer has spread.
Anticancer drugs are recommended when there are signs that the cancer has
spread, or if the doctor suspects that undetected cancer cells remain in the body
after surgery or irradiation.
Only 15 years ago testicular cancer was considered a difficult and dangerous type
of tumor. It cost Brian Piccolo his life at the age of 27. Advances in treatment,
along with improved diagnosis, now mean that most men found to have testicular
cancer will survive the disease. Today, the overall cure rate for testicular cancer,
when detected early, is above 90 percent! Cyclist Lance Armstrong and figure
skater Scott Hamilton appear to be two of the lucky ones.
Men in their late teens to early 30's often consider themselves invincible. The last
thing they are thinking about is that there is something out there that can stop
them. But testicular cancer can. Fortunately this deadly but treatable disease can
be detected early by regular self-examination.
Source: TeenGrowth.com
<
Back to Mind & Body main page
|