Testicular Cancer: 7 Critical Things Every Male Needs To Know

3. Checking For Cancer

According to Doctor Larry Lipschultz, Men’s Health urology advisor, men should check for cancer once a month by giving themselves self-examinations at home. Urologist Nicolas Cost of the University of Colorado suggests performing self-examinations in the shower where it is warm and easier to feel any abnormalities while your scrotum is relaxed. Check for smooth or rounded bumps, unusual changes in size or shape, and any hardness or irregular texture of each testicle.

2. What To Do If You Feel A Lump

The first thing to do if you notice a lump or abnormality is to schedule an appointment with your urologist immediately. Early detection is crucial for treating testicular cancer. If your doctor thinks it might be cancer, they will order a blood test and check for tumor markers, or proteins such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) that are created when cancer is present. You may then need an ultrasound. According to Doctor Darius Paduch at Weill Cornell Medical College, your doctor will not do a biopsy on any lumps because draining the mass could flow into lymph nodes where cancer could quickly spread.