Testicular Cancer

[Guest guest]

This came from another group and I thought it was something that everyone

should be made aware of.

 

Marianne

 

 

 

Thousands of young men die a horrible death every year from testicular cancer.

The especially sad part is that is if quite curable if discovered early.

 

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 getting to

know this area of your body and thus detecting testicular cancer (TC) at an

early -- and very curable -- stage.

 

The self exam for TC is best performed after a warm bath or shower. (Heat

relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to spot anything abnormal)

 

The following should be done every month (keep in mind that the point is not

to find something wrong, it is to learn what everything feels like so that

you will know if something changes):

 

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.

 

Find the epididymis, the soft, tubelike structure behind the testicle that

collects and carries sperm. If 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 on your testicle, see a doctor, preferably a urologist,

right away. The abnormality may not be cancer, it may just be an infection.

But if it is testicular cancer, it will spread if it is not stopped by

treatment. Waiting and hoping will not fix anything. Please note that free

floating lumps in the scrotum that

are not attached in any way to a testicle are not testicular cancer. When in

doubt, get it checked out - if only for peace of mind!

 

Other signs of testicular cancer to keep in mind are:

 

Any enlargement of a testicle

A significant loss of size in one of the testicles

A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum

A dull ache in the lower abdomen or in the groin

A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum

Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum

Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts

 

I hesitate to mention the following list, since anything out of the ordinary

down there should prompt a visit to the doctor, but you should be aware that

the following symptoms are not normally signs of testicular cancer:

 

A pimple, ingrown hair or rash on the scrotal skin

 

A free floating lump in the scrotum, seemingly not attached to anything

 

A lump on the epidiymis or tubes coming from the testicle that kind of feels

like a third testicle

 

Pain or burning during urination

 

Blood in the urine or semen

 

 

*** Remember, only a physician can make a positive diagnosis ***

 

For that matter, only a physician can make a negative diagnosis too. If you

think something feels strange, go see the doctor!

 

Finally, embarassment is a poor excuse for not having any problem examined by

a doctor. If you think there is something wrong or something has changed,

please see your doctor!