Tag Archives: testicular cancer

7 Surprising Symptoms of Testicular Cancer

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Approximately 8,850 American men will develop testicular cancer this year. Males of any age can develop testicular cancer, but it is most common among young men (the average age of diagnosis is 33). If it is caught in the earlier stages, it is highly treatable. Let’s take a look at 7 potential signs of testicular cancer:

  1. Gynecomastia is a condition whereby males develop excess breast tissue and/or swelling of the breasts. It can be harmless, or can be linked with such conditions as Klinefelter’s syndrome, obesity or in some cases a sign of testicular cancer.
  2. Lower back pain – In some cases, later stage testicular cancer may spread to the lymph glands behind the stomach causing a dull lower backache.
  3. Enlargement or swelling of a testicle – If you feel any changes in your testes, it is important to get them checked out by a doctor. If your testicles feel swollen, hard or if one of them feels much bigger than usual, visit your doctor right away.
  4. A lump on either testicle – A lump in the testicles may be a harmless cyst or benign growth, but it can also be an early symptom of testicular cancer.
  5. Pain or discomfort of the lower stomach – Testicular cancer sometimes causes no pain, but can cause aching in the lower stomach because of the tumor. This can also be a result of cancer spreading to the liver or surrounding areas. Don’t panic – many more harmless conditions can cause lower stomach aching as well such as a urinary tract infection.
  6. A ‘heavy feeling’ or pressure in the scrotum – Some men with testicular cancer may feel a heaviness or pressure in their groin area. If you’ve been feeling strange sensations such as scrotal heaviness, visit your doctor to be evaluated.
  7. A blood clot in the leg – Sometimes a deep vein thrombosis of the leg in young adult males can be the first sign of testicular cancer. Blood clots can also be idiopathic or caused by a less serious condition.

Check Yourself

The best way to catch cancer in its infancy before it causes problems is to perform regular self-examinations. Check out the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for a self-exam so you can find any abnormalities if they arise.

Same Symptoms – Different Conditions

Sometimes other health conditions such as an inguinal hernia, testicle torsion or kidney stones could cause symptoms similar to those listed above. Either way, it is always important to get any such changes to your physical health checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible, to catch cancer or another condition before it progresses.

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6 Scary Reasons for Men To Stop Avoiding the Doc (Part 1)

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According to the CDC, women are 33% more likely to visit the doctor regularly or when health concerns arise than men are. Most men skip annual physicals year after year, thinking “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”. This is a dangerous mentality, as many diseases that commonly strike men creep in silently and gradually, with few or no symptoms (until it is too late). So, while many men may feel invincible to disease, the reality is they are anything but. Let’s take a look at a few of the most common diseases to afflict (and kill) men:

  1. Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, striking 1 in every 4 American men. According to the CDC, between 70-80% of heart attacks and other cardiac events happen to men. Even more starling is the fact that at least half of men who undergo these life-threatening heart episodes had no previous symptoms. So boys, do you see just how important it is to get regular checkups? Only a doctor can tell you how your cholesterol levels are, or if your blood pressure is where it should be. Might be time to book an appointment!

  1. Stroke

A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is reduced or cut off, and brain cells die off due to lack of oxygen. As the fifth leading cause of death in American men, strokes are all too common in today’s population. Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented by curbing modifiable risk factors such as:

  • Having high blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Leading a high-stress lifestyle
  • Physical inactivity
  • Eating a diet high in take-out and junk food and low in produce
  • Drinking alcohol in excess
  • Being significantly overweight or obese.

  1. Testicular Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of disease-related death in the united states, and men succumb to the effects more often than women. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, more than half of all American men will get some form of cancer at some point during their lifetime. Testicular cancer is the most common form for young men, striking over 8700 men and killing approximately 380 of them annually. The shocking prevalence of cancer among men should be enough reason alone for men to attend their annual physical or get a checkup when things don’t seem right, as cancer is much more survivable the earlier it is caught. Lung cancer and prostate cancer also strike males with alarming frequency and smoking is often to blame for the former of the two.

That concludes part 1 of our men’s health feature, stay tuned for part 2 next! Thanks for visiting DocChat!

 

 

Testicular Cancer Awareness

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Testicular cancer can affect males of any age, but most commonly strikes those between 15 and 34. The American Cancer Society projects 8,720 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, resulting in approximately 380 cancer or surgery related deaths. However, most cases of testicular cancer are curable. The key to a positive outcome is early detection and treatment. The survival rate for testicular cancer is very high as many cases are caught and treated before the cancer spreads to surrounding areas.

Types Of Testicular Cancer

There are different types of testicular cancer based on the type of malignant cells. The most common type is germ cell testicular cancer. Approximately 95% of testicular cancer sufferers develop this type. The two main subtypes of germ cell testicular cancer are seminomas and non-seminomas, both of which respond well to chemotherapy.

Symptoms of Testicular Cancer

  • A bump or bulge in either testicle
  • Testicular enlargement or swelling
  • Low back pain
  • A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
  • Groin pain

Risk Factors

Testicular cancer is a relatively uncommon affliction, affecting an estimated 1 in 263 men so having these risk factors does not mean you will likely develop the condition, some men have several of these and never get TC, while others don’t have any risk factors and still get the disease. Some of the risk factors for testicular cancer include:

  • Family history of testicular cancer
  • Ethnicity: white males are more likely to get the disease
  • Cryptorchidism, an undescended testicle, puts men at higher risk
  • HIV: males who have the HIV virus or AIDS are at increased risk
  • Age: testicular cancer mainly affects young to middle aged men

Prevention

As with most diseases, there are no sure-fire ways to prevent testicular cancer but there are some measures you can take that may help decrease your odds. The Canadian Cancer Society suggests reducing long term exposure to pesticides as they have been loosely linked to testicular cancer, “More research into the role of pesticide exposure in testicular cancer is needed. However, you should try to avoid or reduce long-term exposure and follow safety rules when working with chemicals such as pesticides.” Avoiding or quitting smoking may help lower your risk as well. Lastly, as men who still have an undescended testicle are at much higher risk of contracting testicular cancer, they should get an orchiopexy (surgical removal of an undescended testicle) to greatly decrease their odds of developing TC.

Detection

The foremost defensive measure all males should take against testicular cancer is to perform a routine self-examination which will help you detect any differences in the area that may be problematic. If you perform this examination weekly, you will certainly catch anything at the onset. If you detect any anomalies when performing a self-exam, be sure to contact your primary care physician right away. Often testicular symptoms can be attributed to less threatening conditions, but your doctor will perform the necessary tests to determine if cancer is present. Early detection almost always ensures a positive and treatable outcome.

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