Blog Dedicated to the authors battle with testicular cancer

I found a site that I thought you all would be interested in reading. It really peaked my interest due to my age and of course being a male and well aware of the dangers related to testicular cancer. It is recomended that men to a self exam atleast once a month, and to get regular checkups from your family doctor. Below I have outlined some steps to performing your self exam.

This was taken from http://tcrc.acor.org/tcexam.html

The TCRC recommends following these steps every month (keep in mind that the point is not to find something wrong, it is to learn what everything feels like so that you will know if something changes):

• Stand in front of a mirror. Check for any swelling on the scrotal skin.

• Examine each testicle with both hands. Place the index and middle fingers under the testicle with the thumbs placed on top. Roll the testicle gently between the thumbs and fingers -- you shouldn't feel any pain when doing the exam. Don't be alarmed if one testicle seems slightly larger than the other, that's normal.

• Find the epididymis, the soft, tubelike structure behind the testicle that collects and carries sperm. If you are familiar with this structure, you won't mistake it for a suspicious lump. Cancerous lumps usually are found on the sides of the testicle but can also show up on the front. Lumps on the epididymis are not cancerous.

• If you find a lump on your testicle, see a doctor, preferably a urologist, right away. The abnormality may not be cancer, it may just be an infection. But if it is testicular cancer, it will spread if it is not stopped by treatment. Waiting and hoping will not fix anything. Please note that free floating lumps in the scrotum that are not attached in any way to a testicle are not testicular cancer. When in doubt, get it checked out - if only for peace of mind!

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