The Cancer That Strikes at Your Youngest and Strongest
Testicular cancer is the most common solid cancer in young men between the ages of 15 and 35. A young man in his academic years, or newly in his career and marriage, finding a lump on his testicle — this is the most common presentation of testicular cancer in Nigeria. Despite this, awareness is almost non-existent. Young Nigerian men are not taught to examine themselves. They do not know that a painless lump — which is the most common presentation — is a medical emergency. And so they wait, sometimes for months, sometimes hoping it will go away, sometimes out of fear of what it might mean, while a highly curable cancer advances into a harder one. The cure rate for testicular cancer caught early exceeds 95%. That statistic should be in every young man’s mind.
How to Examine Yourself — Every Man Should Know This
Testicular self-examination should be performed once a month, ideally after a warm shower when the scrotal skin is relaxed and easier to feel through. Hold your scrotum in the palms of both hands and use your thumbs and fingers to gently roll each testicle in turn. Feel for any lump, swelling, change in firmness, or difference between the two sides. It is normal for one testicle to be slightly larger than the other, and for one to hang lower — these are not concerning. What you are looking for is a new change: something that was not there last month, a lump that can be felt on the testicle surface, or a testicle that feels harder or heavier than it did. The whole examination takes about 60 seconds.
What to Look and Feel For
- A painless lump or firm swelling on one testicle — the most common sign. The fact that it does not hurt is not reassuring. Most testicular cancers are painless.
- A feeling of heaviness or fullness in the scrotum
- A dull ache in the lower abdomen, groin, or lower back
- A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, causing visible swelling
- Breast tenderness or visible breast tissue growth — some testicular tumours produce hormones that cause this
- Any new change on or around the testicle should be seen by a doctor within the same week — not in a month, and not after trying to see if it goes away
Who Is at Higher Risk?
- A history of cryptorchidism — an undescended testicle at birth, even if it was surgically corrected in childhood. This is the single most significant risk factor.
- A brother or father who has had testicular cancer
- A personal history of testicular cancer in the other testicle
- Testicular cancer affects men of all ethnicities, backgrounds, and sizes — no man between 15 and 45 is exempt from needing to examine himself
What Happens When You See a Doctor
A doctor who examines a suspicious testicular lump will order a scrotal ultrasound — a painless scan that is extremely accurate at distinguishing between cancerous and non-cancerous changes. Blood tumour markers will also be taken. If cancer is confirmed, a urologist will perform surgery to remove the affected testicle — this is not disfiguring, does not affect sexual function in most cases, and does not prevent fatherhood from the remaining healthy testicle. Depending on the type and stage, further treatment may be needed — but the overwhelming majority of young men treated for testicular cancer are cured.
How Doc on Wheels Can Help
If you have noticed a change in one of your testicles and are not sure what to do, you can speak to a doctor through Doc on Wheels privately and immediately. We will take your concern seriously, advise on the urgency of investigation, and direct you to the right hospital for a scrotal ultrasound and assessment. There is no embarrassment required in this conversation — a lump is a lump, and it needs a doctor’s attention.