Focus on testicular cancer

With the news that Arsenal and Celtic star John Hartson has been diagnosed with testicular cancer which has spread to his brain, here are some key facts that everyone should know about this illness.

• Testicular cancer is unusual in that it mainly affects younger men
• Just under 2,000 cases are diagnosed every year, with around 70 deaths
• Around 50% of cases are in men under the age of 35, and 90% are in men under 55
• It is highly treatable, with over 95% of those affected making a full recovery

What are the risk factors?

The causes of testicular cancer are not well understood. However, the following factors are known to contribute to increased risk of developing the illness:

• Undescended testicles - if treated before the age of 13, the risk is double that of the rest of the population, but if treated after 13 the risk increases 5 times
• Age - men under the age of 35 are more susceptible
• Ethnic origin - white males in general are more at risk that other ethnic groups, with men in Northern and Western Europe at highest risk
• Family history - if your father or brother has testicular cancer, your chances are increased

It was once believed that having a vasectomy increased the risk of developing testicular cancer. However, recent research has shown that there is no link between vasectomy and testicular cancer.

Spotting the early signs

The main symptom of testicular cancer is a lump or swelling in the testicle, which often feels hard and pea like. Most such lumps are not in fact cancerous and current research suggests that less than 4% of lumps in the testicles are caused by cancer. However, if you have any lumps or swellings in your testicles you MUST see your doctor as soon as possible.

Checking your testicles

You can carry out a simple self-examination of your testicles to check for the appearance of lumps or swellings. You should carry out the examination once a month, ideally from the age of 15 onwards. To see how to do this, please watch this video: The Dr Chris Steele guide to testicle self-examination.

Please make sure that all the men in your life know how to do these checks - email them the link to the video above.

More information

• The Darren Couchman Testicle Tour http://www.onelumportwo.org.uk/
• NHS Choices information about testicular cancer
• Cancer Research UK testicular cancer pages

This article was published on Mon 13 July 2009