Hi everyone,
I hope you are enjoying the sunshine wherever you are! I’m
currently at work but I have the front doors opening so I can see the sunshine
shining through! Remember to slap on some sunscreen today and protect your
skin!!
This is going to be a male centric blog post today but it’s
also one that women should read too. This blog post is dedicated to my very
good friend Stuart – a testicular cancer survivor.
The Testicles:
The testicles are part of the male reproductive system and
are two oval shaped organs that hang just below the penis in a skin pouch called
the scrotum. From puberty, sperm is produced in the testicles as is the hormone
testosterone.
Testicular Cancer Symptoms:
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a lump or a
swelling. PLEASE DON’T PANIC BECAUSE MOST TESTICULAR LUMPS ARE NOT CANCEROUS. A
cancerous lump can vary in size but is usually not painful although some men
will find they have a dull ache in the affected area or in their lower abdomen.
The scrotum may feel heavy.
GUYS CHECK YOUR BALLS!
As I may have mentioned several hundred times before, cancer
is easier to treat if it is caught early. Check your testicles often (once a
month) and get to know how they feel normally. This will make it easier for you
to notice and lumps and bumps that may appear. Get your partner to check them
too so you have a second opinion if you need one.
The best time to check your testicles is after a warm bath
because your scrotum skin will be relaxed. Here is a rough guide on how to
check your testicles:
- * Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands and
use all your fingers and thumbs.
- * Gently feel one testicle at a time.
- * A noticeable increase in size or weight can be a
sign that something is not right.
- * You should be able to feel a soft tube at the
top and back of the testicle. This is normal
- * The actual testicle should be smooth with no
lumps or swelling.
IF YOU DO FIND A LUMP OR HAVE CONCERN ABOUT YOUR TESTICLES,
PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR GP ASAP. IT MAY BE SLIGHTLY UNCOMFORTABLE
FOR YOU BUT DETECTING ANYTHING WRONG AT AN EARLY STAGE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE AND
YOUR TESTICLE!!!
Risks and Causes of Testicular Cancer:
Cancer of the testicles is quite rare in the UK and not much
is known about what causes it. However, there are several factors that can
increase a man’s risk of developing the disease:
- * If a young boy has an undescended testicle than
it should be corrected by the time they turn eleven to avoid an increase risk
of testicular cancer.
- * Some men have Carcinoma in situ (CIS) which is
basically abnormal but not cancerous cells in the testicle. These cells will
have to be monitored to ensure they do not develop into cancer and are caught
early if they do.
- * If you have a brother that has suffered from
testicular cancer then research suggests this could increase your risk of
developing it too. Around 20% (1 in 5) testicular cancer cases are caused by
faulty inherited genes.
- * Ethnicity is also a factor. In the USA, white
men are 5 times more likely to be diagnosed with testicular cancer then black
men. In the UK, testicular cancer is also much more common in white men. As
yet, not much is known about why this is.
Treatment for Testicular Cancer
There are many factors to consider before your specialist
will decide on a treatment plan for you. They will consider the stage, grade
and position of the cancer as well as your general health and whether or not
the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Treatment by Stage:
Stage One – If you have very early testicular cancer then
the likelihood is that you will have surgery to remove the whole of the
affected testicle. This is called an orchidectomy. You may also be offered Radiotherapy
or Chemotherapy.
Stage Two - The treatment of stage two testicular cancers
depends on the size of the affected lymph nodes. It may be treated with chemotherapy or
radiotherapy. Surgery to remove the lymph nodes may also be an option.
Stage Three – After surgery, stage three testicular cancers
are always treated with chemotherapy to shrink the lymph nodes. If they don’t
shrink back to a normal size then they may be removed or treated with
radiotherapy.
A LITTLE SIDE NOTE – I NOW WORK IN A FERTILITY CLINIC AND
HAVE LEARNT LOTS ABOUT FERTILITY. AS SPERM IS PRODUCED IN YOUR TESTICLES – I STRONGLY
URGE ANYONE DIAGNOSED WITH TESTICULAR CANCER TO ASK THEIR SPECIALIST ABOUT
FERTILITY BEFORE THEY START THEIR TREATMENT. IF YOUR FERTILITY WILL BE AFFECTED
BY YOUR TREATMENT THEN STORING YOUR SPERM IS A VERY EASY PROCESS AND CAN BE
DONE BEFORE YOU START YOUR TREATMENT. IT IS VITAL TO PROTECT YOUR ABILITY TO
FATHER CHILDREN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FAMILY IN THE FUTURE.
So guys, I’m actually encouraging you to regularly have a
good old feel of your testicles! It’s hugely important to know your own body
and what is normal for you so abnormalities can be detected ASAP should they
arise. This could save your life! Please do go to your GP if you have any
worries about anything mentioned in my blog post today.
For more information about testicular cancer please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org or visit http://www.orchid-cancer.org.uk/
which is a specialist charity for male cancers.
If you have testicular cancer and would like to preserve
your sperm by freezing it – please speak to your specialist or visit http://www.londonwomensclinic.com/
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