I should be screening
myself for testicular cancer each month, so I tried in the shower and ...
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Testicles
- an urologist "how to" for screening
After my doctor
told me I should be screening myself for testicular cancer each month, I
tried in the shower and felt a soft lump. I'm not sure, though, what exactly
I'm looking for. I'm 35 and otherwise healthy. Do you have any advice?
First, kudos to you
for performing the most overlooked male self-care. All men under 40 should
take their testicles in hand once a month after a warm shower and roll them
around between forefinger and thumb in search of lumps. Second, don't worry
too much: The lump you've discovered probably isn't cancer. Do make an
appointment with your doctor immediately, however. While hard, pea-sized
lumps that feel as though they're inside the testicle are the likeliest
tumor candidates, any abnormality-even a soft one-is worth having checked
out. Your doctor will likely perform a physical examination and may refer
you to a urologist who may order a scrotal ultrasound (a painless procedure
that uses sound waves to construct an image of the testicles).
A testicular tumor
usually manifests itself as a hard, pea-sized lump seemingly inside the
testicle. Benign cysts often feel tender and as though they're inside the
scrotum, but outside the actual testicle.
"Most lumps turn
out to be noncancerous cysts, and no further workup is needed," says
Richard D. Williams, M.D., head of the department of urology at the
University of Iowa in Iowa City. The most common cause of a lump outside the
testicle is an infected duct, what doctors call epididymitis, and is usually
resolved by a course of antibiotics. Another common bump-producer is a
varicocele, or swollen vein, which normally only requires surgical repair if
it's painful or actively blocking your ability to father children. In men
over 50, a painless swelling of the scrotum is often nothing more than a
pocket of fluid called a hydrocele, surrounding the testicle.
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