Testicular cancer is quite rare and affects an average of one in 5000 men. It can develop at any age; however, 50% of cases occur between the ages of 20 and 35. Fortunately, it is a tumor with a very high ratio between healings and diagnosis, with a percentage that is around 95-99%. As with most cancers, early diagnosis is essential for effective treatment and a benign prognosis. Understanding the risk factors, knowing the symptoms, and regularly performing a testicular self-exam are the important steps in identifying the problem in the bud.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Performing a Testicular Self Exam
Step 1. Know the symptoms
In order to perform a test accurately, you need to know what to look for if cancer is present. Self-examination is designed to check for the following symptoms:
- A lump inside the testicle. This doesn't have to be big or sore to be worth a visit to the doctor, as tumors can be the size of a pea or a grain of rice at first.
- Testicular enlargement. This can affect one or both gonads. Remember that it is normal for one testicle to hang slightly lower than the other or to be slightly larger. However, if one is significantly larger in size, assumes an abnormal shape, or is harder than normal, go to the doctor.
- Changes in density or texture. Do you have a feeling that a testicle is too firm or lumpy? When the male gonads are healthy, they are perfectly smooth. Remember that they are connected to the vas deferens through a small soft tube, called the epididymis, which is located at the top. If you can feel this structure during the exam, do not be alarmed because it is completely normal.
Step 2. Get a mirror and go to a room with some privacy
Go to a room where you won't be disturbed and get a reasonable-sized mirror, if possible free-standing. A bathroom mirror or a full length mirror are ideal. You must be able to see your body to notice any abnormalities in the scrotum, so you have to take off your lower clothing including underwear.
Step 3. Observe the condition of the skin
Stand in front of the mirror and examine the skin of the scrotum. Are there any visible nodules? Do you see any bulges? Do you notice dark areas or some other out of the ordinary detail? Remember to examine all sides of the scrotum, including the back.
Step 4. Feel abnormalities by touch
Always remain standing and grasp the scrotum with both hands, so that the fingertips touch each other forming a "basket". Hold one testicle between the thumb and forefinger of the same hand. Press gently to assess its density and consistency and then roll it between your fingers. Repeat the same procedure alternating hands.
Take your time. Check the entire surface of each testicle
Step 5. Schedule an annual medical check-up
In addition to performing self-examination regularly, you should go to an andrologist once a year. He will repeat the same palpation you did, as well as perform other tests and tests to assess your general health. If you experience any symptoms, however, do not wait for the date of the periodic check-up, but call your doctor immediately for an immediate appointment.
Part 2 of 3: Understanding the Risk Factors
Step 1. Recognize your chances of risk
Early prevention is essential to treat cancer effectively. If you know which risk category you belong to, you will be more responsive to each symptom if it occurs. Below are a number of factors you need to be aware of:
- Family history of testicular cancer.
- Cryptorchidism (failure of one or both testicles to descend). Three out of four cases of testicular cancer are caused by individuals with this anomaly.
- Intratubular germ cell neoplasm. This is also often referred to as "carcinoma in situ" and develops when cancerous cells appear among the germ cells within the seminiferous tubules where these cells are formed. It is a precancerous disease of the testicles and in 90% of cases it occurs in the tissues surrounding the tumor.
- Ethnicity. Studies conducted in the United States have shown that Caucasian men are more likely to suffer from this type of cancer than those of other ethnic groups.
- Previous cancers. If you have already been diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer, the other is more likely to develop cancer as well.
Step 2. Remember that the risk factor is no guarantee of cancer development
Studies have shown that managing environmental factors, such as diet and physical activity accompanied by good habits such as not smoking and not drinking alcohol, can avoid carcinogenesis, the process by which cells become cancerous.
Step 3. Discuss preventive therapies with your doctor
If you are at risk for testicular cancer, be aware that clinical trials are currently underway to expand the preventive therapies available; however, proactive drug regimens, such as chemopreventive ones, have proved useful in avoiding the growth of tumor cells and relapses. Your doctor will be able to tell you if this approach is right for you.
Part 3 of 3: Acting in the Presence of Symptoms
Step 1. Contact your doctor
If you find a lump, a swollen, painful, or unusually hard area, or another warning sign during the testicular exam, call your doctor right away. While these are not certain symptoms of testicular cancer, it is very important to have an examination to be sure.
Tell your doctor about all symptoms when you call for your appointment. This way you are more likely to be visited quickly
Step 2. Write down all additional signs
If you realize that there are other abnormalities affecting the testicles or other parts of the body, make a list. Also write down any symptoms you don't believe are related to testicular cancer. Any additional information can help your doctor make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. Symptoms include:
- Heaviness or tenderness in the lower abdomen and scrotum
- Pain in the lower back not associated with stiffness or injury
- Swelling in the chest (rare)
- Infertility. In rare cases, the man may not show any symptoms other than the inability to procreate.
Step 3. Stay calm and be optimistic
Once you've made your appointment with your doctor, try to relax. Remember that 95% of testicular cancer cases are completely treatable and that early diagnosis raises this percentage up to 99%. Furthermore, the symptoms could be attributable to other less serious diseases such as:
- A cyst in the epididymis (the tube at the top of the testicles) called a spermatocele
- A dilated testicular blood vessel, called a varicocele;
- A buildup of fluid in the testicular membrane, called a hydrocele;
- A tear or opening in the abdominal muscle called a hernia.
Step 4. Go to the appointment
During the visit, the doctor will perform the same testicular exam you did to understand what abnormalities you felt. It will also ask you for more information about the other symptoms. The doctor will continue the physical exam in other parts of the body, such as the groin and abdomen to make sure there are no metastatic spreads. If he notices something out of the ordinary, he will order additional tests to arrive at a diagnosis and to understand if it really is a tumor.
Advice
- It is generally easier to do a testicular test after a hot shower when the scrotum is relaxed.
- Don't panic if you notice some of the symptoms described above. What you perceived may be normal, but take the opportunity to go to the doctor and undergo other tests.
