Testicular cancer is a type of cancer that has rendered many men useless over the years. These are some signs of the disease you must watch out for.
Thousands of men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year around the world – but do you know the signs?
Black Eyed Peas member Taboo shock the world yesterday when he revealed all about his secret battle with testicular cancer.
The 41-year-old rapper, whose real name is Jaime Luis Gomez, was diagnosed with stage 2 testicular cancer in June 2014.
Taboo was diagnosed with the life-threatening cancer after going to the emergency room for what he thought was the flu.
Testicular cancer is the 16th most common cancer in males in the UK. In 2013 around 2,300 new cases were diagnosed – that's six every day.
Shockingly one in 195 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer during their lifetime. And almost half of cases in Britain each year are in males aged under 35.
Thankfully it is one of the more treatable forms of the disease – but it's important to catch it early.
The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a lump or swelling in one of your testicles. It tends to be about the size of a pea, but may be larger.
Most lumps or swellings aren't a sign of cancer, but they should never be ignored. You should visit your GP as soon as you notice anthing unusual.
However, while most men know to look out for lumps and bumps in and around their balls, many don't know the other silent signs of testicular cancer.
Here are some other warning signs to look out for:
1. Dull ache or sharp pain in your testicles or scrotum, which may come and go
2. Feeling of heaviness in your scrotum
3. Change in the texture or increase in firmness of a testicle
4. Difference between one testicle and the other
If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body it is known as metastatic cancer and there are other symptoms to look out for.
The most common place for testicular cancer to spread to is nearby lymph nodes in your abdomen or lungs.
Lymph nodes are glands that make up your immune system. Less commonly, the cancer can spread to your liver, brain or bones.
Symptoms of metastatic testicular cancer can include:
1. Persistent cough
2. Coughing or spitting up blood
3. Shortness of breath
4. Swelling and enlargement of male breasts
5. A lump or swelling in your neck
6. Lower back pain
So, when should you see your GP?
The NHS's website says that you should see your GP as soon as you notice a lump or swelling on your testicle. They will examine your testicles to help determine whether or not the lump is cancerous.
Lumps within the scrotum can have many different causes and testicular cancer is rare. If your GP thinks the lump is in your testicle they may consider cancer as a possible cause.
Research has shown that less than 4% of scrotal lumps or swellings are cancerous. However, if you do have cancer catching it early could save your life – so get dow to your GP.
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