The most important set of balls to any young man are his cojones. They can be a source of pride and virility. They can also be a source of cancer. On Monday May 8th news broke that Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, Jameson Taillon, had undergone surgery for a suspected testicular cancer diagnosis. While we wait for more news here is some information about cancer of the crown jewels.
On average, 9,000 cases of beanbag cancer are diagnosed annually and this number has been increasing by 1.2% each year over the past decade. This is no reason to fret; up to 90-95% of testicular cancer is highly responsive to treatment depending on its stage and type. There are certain things that predispose a person to developing cancer of the bojangles.1 These risk factors include having undescended testicles, a 1st degree relative with testicular cancer, having had marble cancer before, being Caucasian, having HIV, and being a male between the ages of 20 to 34 years old.2 One thing that may bring some relief to some of you is that prior damage to your stones, such as getting hit in the sandbags does not increase your risk of developing cancer.3 It is important to note that just because you have one of these risk factors does not mean you are destined to develop cancer. That being said, the opposite is also true.
The American Cancer Society does not currently recommend regular self huevos exams due to a lack of evidence supporting their benefits. However, most doctors still recommend that men inspect their berries on a monthly basis once they hit puberty. This is due to the fact that one of the most common presenting symptoms of testicular cancer includes a painless swelling or mass in one of your gonads. Doctors strongly recommend that men with any of the above risk factors perform regular monthly exams.2
The best time to examine the family jewels is while you shower or right after. This allows the scrotum to relax. Performing a self exam is simple and quick. Gently examine your kiwis one at a time. Looking for any hard lumps. One thing that you may initially mistake for a lump is your epididymis. This is a tube that sperm travels through along its path and can be found in the upper outer side of your naughty bit. It is normal for one of your grapes to be bigger or hang lower than the other one.2 If you experience anything you believe to be abnormal don’t hesitate to call your doctor. It may be a completely benign condition, but its always better to be safe than sorry.
If your doctor suspects, you have testicular cancer they will order blood work and perform and ultrasound on your walnuts among other imaging techniques. If this diagnosis is confirmed treatment can consist of a surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy.1
Since so many of the risk factors for testicular cancer are out of our hands like age, race, and genetics there are not many things you can do to prevent it. It is always advisable though to live a healthy active lifestyle by eating fruits and vegetables daily, exercising regularly, and cutting down or eliminating alcohol/cigarette intake. For those of you keeping track that was over 19 different names for your scallops, 20 now. If you have any other nicknames you’d like to share or have any questions please leave a comment.
Sources:
- Sachdeva, K., MD. (2016, June 03). Testicular Cancer. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/279007-overview
- American Cancer Society. (n.d.). Testicular Cancer. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/testicular-cancer.html
- Landau, D., MD. (2015, June 02). 8 Myths about Testicular Cancer. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.orlandohealth.com/blog/8-myths-about-testicular-cancer
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