Testicular Cancer Awareness Week

Testicular Cancer Awareness Week

April 1-7, 2008

“There will be about 8,090 new cases of testicular cancer in the United States in 2008. About 380 men will die of the disease in 2008. A man’s lifetime chance of having testicular cancer is about 1 in 300. Because treatment is so successful, the risk of dying from this cancer is very low: about 1 in 5,000. Testicular cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer. There are nearly 140,000 men who have survived testicular cancer in the United States.”

–Source: The American Cancer Society

The “Get a Grip” Campaign at the National Men’s Resource Center promotes the importance of young men and boys doing monthly self exams for early detection.

Testicular cancer forms in the testicles, the egg shaped glands located in the scrotum, that produce sperm and testosterone. According the American Cancer Society nine out of ten cases are diagnosed in men between age 20 and 54, however; it the disease can occur in infants or the elderly.

Symptoms include pain, swelling or unusual lumps in the testes or groin. Many times when lumps are discovered they are painless. Other symptoms may include breast enlargement or tenderness, a general malaise, a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or an ache in the abdomen or groin.

The connection between risk factors and diagnosis is being studied but a cause for testicular cancer has not been determined.

Testicular Cancer risk factors:

• Undescended testicles or cryptorchidism. 10% of all cases occur in men with a history of cryptorchidism.
• Family history
• HIV infection may increase risk
• Race-white American men have a higher risk
• Age as mentioned

More detailed information on testicular cancer risk factors can be found at the American Cancer Society site.

Diagnosis:

Following a physical exam your physician may order blood tests (there are currently three tumor marker tests which screen for testicular cancer) and an ultrasound for a complete diagnosis.

Treatment Options:

• Surgery to remove the affected testicle. This may include lymph node removal.
• Radiation therapy, according to the type of cancer you have. Radiation is done after surgery.
• Chemotherapy in coordination with surgery

More Resources:

M.D. Anderson

NCI-Testicular Cancer Home Page

CancerBackUp-A U.K. site

Support:Male-Care: Men Fighting Cancer Together

TC-Care: Testicular Cancer Information and Support

The Genitourinary Cancer Message Boards at M.D. Anderson

LiveStrong: The Lance Armstrong Foundation

Events:

CancerBackUp 10K Fun Run-London, Sunday June 18, 2008. To raise awareness of male cancer.

Books:

Frequently asked Questions About Testicular Cancer by Paula Johnson (2007, Nonfiction)

It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back Into Life by Lance Armstrong (2001, Memoir)