What is Testicular Cancer?

Every twenty-four hours, one man dies of testicular cancer? According to the American Cancer Society, it is one of the leading cancers in men between the ages of 15 and 35. The average age of diagnosis is 33 years old. Cancer is often thought of as an older person’s disease. However, younger men need to be on the lookout for testicular cancer.

The good news – testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers. If caught in time, it is highly treatable, even after the cancer has spread outside the testicles. The best way men can minimize their risk for testicular cancer is to know the key information about the disease.

Key facts about testicular cancer:

·       Typically develops in one or both testicles in young men

·       Most common cancer in American males ages 15-35

o   Average age of diagnosis – 33 years old

o   6% of cases occur in children and teens

o   7% occur in men over 55

·       Every 24 hours, 24 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer

·       Every 24 hours, one man dies from testicular cancer

·       Highly treatable and usually curable

o   Over 95% survival rate

 Risk factors

·       Undescended testicle

·       Family history

·       HIV infection

·       History of carcinoma in situ (non-invasive form of testicular germ cell cancer)

·       Cancer of the other testicle

·       Age 20-39 at highest risk

·       Race and ethnicity – most common in white men

·       Body size – taller men may be more prone

Signs and symptoms

·       Lump or swelling in either testicle

·       Discomfort or pain in testicle

·       Feeling of heaviness in scrotum

·       Pain in back or lower abdomen

·       Enlargement of testicle

·       Change in way testicle feels

*May be no symptoms at all

 Recommendations for testicular self-exam

·       American Cancer Society recommends a testicular exam by a doctor as part of a routine cancer-related check-up

·       Does not recommend regular self-exams for all men

·       Some doctors recommend all men perform monthly self-exams after puberty (esp. those with risk factors)

Over 40 and overweight? Take this test

According to a new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, people 40 or older who are overweight or obese should be tested for abnormal blood sugar levels.

What does having abnormal blood sugar mean? Having abnormal blood sugar means that your body is not breaking down and using sugar the way that it should. This can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Having an abnormal blood sugar doesn’t mean you have diabetes, but it does mean you are on your way to developing it. There are three tests your doctor can do to test your blood sugar levels:  hemoglobin A1C, fasting plasma glucose, or the oral glucose tolerance test. If your levels come back abnormal on one of them, that may indicate you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Abnormal levels are between 5.7 and 6.5 percent on the hemoglobin A1C test, between 100 and 125 mg/dL on the fasting plasma glucose test, or between 140 and 199 mg/dL on the oral glucose tolerance test.

This new recommendation is an update of the USPSTF’s 2008 recommendation, which suggested only screening adults with high blood pressure for type 2 diabetes. Now, the organization has reason to believe that people who are overweight (having a BMI of 25 or above) should be screened for abnormal blood sugar levels. They say that this raises the risk of blood sugar problems and heart issues, even if those people are not experiencing any symptoms. 

Top Chronic Diseases for Men

Although the gap has definitely decreased, men still live an average of 5 years longer than men do.  And although both men and women are affected by chronic illness, men tend to smoke and drink more than women increasing their risk of many diseases.  To top it off, men are also much less diligent about getting preventative care and seeking medical attention.  Chronic disease can affect quality of life and increase the risk of other health problems, here are some of the top chronic disease affecting men:  

1. Heart Disease: cardiovascular disease refers to a group of diseases that affect the heart.  This includes coronary artery disease, where arteries that supply the heart with blood become clogged with plaque buildup.  Hypertension, or high blood pressure is also included in this, where more than normal amount of blood is forced against artery walls. Heart disease increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.

2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: this includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema.  Both these diseases cause a blockage of the airflow through the lungs and interferes with regular breathing.  This is highly associated with smoking.

3. Diabetes: this is a metabolic disease and chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar, an important source of fuel for your body. In type 2 diabetes, the body either resists the effect of insulin or doesn’t produce enough, thereby affecting the levels of glucose in the blood. For some, diet, exercise and maintaining a heathy weight are enough to manage the chronic disease.

4. Kidney Disease: this occurs when kidneys become damaged and are no longer able to function normally.  Kidney damage impairs the organs ability to filter the blood.  This can lead to kidney failure, where your kidneys stop working and the body fills with a backup of waste and extra water.  This ultimately lead to a need for dialysis or kidney transplantation. 

The biggest risk factors for chronic disease is men are the following:

1.     Obesity

2.     Smoking

3.     Excessive Alcohol use

4.     High cholesterol

As most of these risk factors can be avoided or at least managed through lifestyle factors, the burden of chronic disease should logically be tackled by eliminated these risk factors for men.  If not, the chronic diseases mentioned above with surely lead to costly medical care, increased risk of death, and decreased longevity for men.