Although testicular cancer is becoming more common health problem, many people still do not want to talk about this topic, mainly due to embarrassment. But, we have decided to break the “taboo” because it is very important for every man to know more about this disease.
In the United States it is estimated that about 8,720 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016. The average age of diagnosis is only 33. Usually, the first sign of testicular cancer is a change in the size or shape of one or both testicles. In most cases, this change doesn’t cause pain.
Medical professionals recommend that men between the age of 15 and 40 should regularly perform a testicular self-examination. The self-check will lead to early detection of the disease, and it is especially important for everyone who has undescended testicles or family history of testicular cancer.
How to Do the Testicular Cancer Self-Exam: Hold your penis out of the way and check one testicle at a time. Keep the testicle between your thumbs and fingers of both hands and roll it gently between your fingers to find out whether there are any lumps or bumps or changes in the size and the shape of the testicles.
Here are the most common symptoms of testicular cancer:
- A swelling and/or lump in one or both testicles. You may or may not have pain in the testes or scrotum.
- A heavy feeling in the scrotum.
- A pain or feeling of pressure in the lower belly or groin.
In rare cases, germ cell tumors can cause breast growth or soreness. Some tumors cell may make estrogen, which can lead to breast growth or loss of sexual appetite.
Early puberty in boys: Some cell tumors can make androgens (male sex hormones), which may not cause any symptoms in men, but in boys they can cause signs of a puberty at a very early age (like a deepening voice and growth of facial and body hair).
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NOTES:
1. It is normal that one testicle is a little bit larger than the other
2. It is also normal that one testicle hangs lower than the other
-Heavy feeling in the scrotum
-Pain or feeling of pressure in the lower belly or groin
-Swelling and/or lump in one or both testicles. This can come with pain but it can come without pain too.
-In rare cases if you notice breast growth or loss of sexual appetite then you might have testicular cancer. This can happen because like we said in rare cases some tumors cell can produce estrogen.
-In some cases also the tumors cell can make androgens (male sex hormones). This will be unnoticeable in men but in boys it can. If you notice early puberty (deepening voice and growth of facial and body hair) at a younger boy visit a doctor for any case.
Let us not forget to write down that is normal that one testicle is a LITTLE BIT larger than the other and that one testicle can hand lower than the other.
Just like any type of cancer, this one too has advanced stage. All we mentioned above is early stage of testicular cancer. If the testicular cancer has spread to other organs than it means that it is in advanced stage.
Symptoms that are indicating late stage testicular cancer are:
1. Feeling without energy all the time and sweating without doing anything, recurrent fever and feeling of illness.
2. You will experience severe pain in the lower back and belly when this type of cancer begin to spread to the lymph nodes.
3. Shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain and in rare cases coughing up blood may develop if the cancer has spread to the lungs.
4. Frequent headache or confusion if the cancer has spread to the brain
5. If the cancer started spreading to the liver you might feel belly pain.
You can do testicular ultrasound, blood tests and imaging tests to find out whether you have testicular cancer.
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