Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men between the ages of 18 and 50. Knowledge about it and how to check for it is really poor. So we have a few tips for beating Lance Armstrong to a healthy future.
Though he has become more infamous than famous in recent years, Lance Armstrong, a former American road cyclist, became quite famous for his prominent fight with testicular cancer which he was diagnosed with in 1996. Like many men, Lance had ignored the symptoms for months thinking that pain just is something that comes with professional cycling. He dismissed the soreness in his groin, headaches and difficulty breathing.
It is actually quite typical for people to ignore the early warning signs of cancer and other major diseases and delay consulting a doctor. In one of the interviews Lance Armstrong said, “I reluctantly went to the doctor after my testicle had swollen to three times its normal size. I owe a lot to my neighbor—a friend and doctor who insisted I get it checked out. By the time I was diagnosed, the cancer had already spread to my lungs and brain, so it is fair to say I was in bad shape”.
Testicular cancer occurs in the testicles which are located inside a loose bag of skin underneath the penis called the scrotum. Cells in a testicle sometimes change and no longer grow or behave normally. These changes may lead to non-cancerous conditions such as epididymitis, orchitis and hydrocele. Or these changes may lead to cancer.
Testicular cancer may not cause any symptoms in its early stages. Symptoms often appear as the tumour grows and causes changes in the body. To make it even more challenging, other health conditions can cause the same symptoms as testicular cancer. You should see your doctor if you have these symptoms:
- painless lump in the testicle
- swelling so the testicle is larger than usual
- pain or dull ache in the testicle or scrotum
- feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or abdomen
- buildup of fluid in the scrotum
- pain in the back or abdomen
- enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
- trouble breathing or shortness of breath
- cough, sometimes with blood
- chest pain
- trouble swallowing
- buildup of fluid around the lungs
- weight loss
- infertility
- headaches
In Lance Armstrong’s case, the testicular cancer was very advanced and already widely spread. His doctor felt that his chances of survival were almost none. However, Lance beat the odds and did recover and fought his way back to racing.
Lance was lucky. If there is a lesson to this story it is that you don’t need to beat the odds to beat cancer. Testicular cancer is highly treatable and survival rates are really high when the cancer is caught early.
At Prenuvo we are pioneering in advanced MRI for cancer and disease detection and want to help you to stay on top of your health.
Posted by Andrew Lacy
Founder & CEO
