Testicular Cancer: Q & A for men...need at least 5 serious responses?

Question

For my men's health class:

Do you perform a monthly self-exam?
Can you name some symptoms for this cancer?
Can you name possible treatments for this cancer?
Who is most likely to be diagonsed with this cancer?

Answer 1

You should get to know the shape of your own testes, and be able to identify the epididimus, so that you don't confuse this normal spongy mass with a tumor.

Yes, you should self exam regularly - you can do this in the shower as part of your normal hygiene.

If you are concerned about a lump in your scrotum, please see a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Testicular cancer is rare, and when it occurs, progression is slow. Early treatment is very effective. However, you do need to obtain treatment as early as possible. If left without treatment, you run the risk that the cancer will metastacise, at which point the prognosis is poor.

Answer 2

Your fear is unusual, as testicular cancer is not very common. If you notice a hardness in the testicles or a mass, then this should be evaluated by a physician. Both chemotherapy and radiation have been used sucessfully, but if the cancer is established and likely to metatasize, we remove the testicle but there are prosthetic testes so that the scrotum looks normal. Any male is equally at such risk but a more common problem is prostatic cancer and a regular exam should be done.