Check yourself for cancer

Did you know that testicular cancer is the most common cancer found in young men?

More than 70,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year and fortunately a large proportion go on to live healthy lives with timely diagnosis and treatment.

No one knows exactly what causes testicular cancer but there are some related risk factors:

• Your testicles did not drop at birth;
• You have a relative with testicular cancer; and
• Your race and ethnicity.

Yet, according to the team at Movember, 62 per cent of those who are most at risk of testicular cancer do not know how to check themselves.

The best thing you can do to make sure everything is OK with your testicles is to get familiar with them and have a feel. If you feel something that doesn’t seem right, it is important to visit your GP.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/KUtIlwLa_KY

What if I do have testicular cancer?
Testicular cancer is very treatable and has a high cure rate if diagnosed and treated early. Your treatment will depend on the type of testicular cancer you have (there are different types) and may include:

• Surgery
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy

Can I have children?
If you are thinking of starting a family and you have had testicular cancer and a single testicle has been removed, you can still produce sperm and have sex.
The best thing to do is talk to your oncologist about freezing your sperm before starting treatment.