How to check for testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in young men, but it’s also 98% curable if caught and treated early, which is why the Robin Cancer Trust are calling on all men to ‘check their balls’ in aid of Testicular Cancer Awareness Month this April.

The Robin Cancer Trust, founded by Toby Freeman (pictured above) after tragically losing his brother Robin (pictured below) to the disease, is sharing a quick and easy five step guide to self-exams, with testicular cancer being one of the few cancers you can check for yourself.

Robin was aged just 24 when he was diagnosed in 2011 with a rare form of testicular cancer; a Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumour (a grapefruit-sized tumour in his chest). Following 10 months in treatment, including several rounds of chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant, he was told there was nothing else his medical team could do. He passed away surrounded by his loved ones on December 10th 2011.

Toby said, “We promised my brother that something good would be born of his tragedy, and I feel positive that he would be so proud of our latest endeavours to reduce embarrassment, raise awareness and save young people’s lives through early detection of germ cell cancers.”

Here is the Trust’s five-step guide to self-checks:

Step One: The best time to check yourself is during or just after a hot bath or shower – making sure you check your testicles one at a time using both hands.

Step Two: Firmly but gently examine your testicle using your fingers and thumb. They should be roughly an even size and smooth to touch, though it’s normal for one to hang slightly lower or be slightly bigger.

Step Three: Get to know your Epididymis (the tube that carries sperm), it feels like a soft coiled tube on your testicle.

Step Four: Feel for any signs and symptoms of testicular cancer. If you feel any lumps, swelling, changes in size, pain or hardness, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Step Five: Repeat every month. Nine out of ten men are cured if the cancer is caught early.

As part of the charity’s mission to raise awareness of testicular cancer, the charity broke the world record on Saturday 3rd April 2021 for ‘the largest simultaneous self-check for testicular cancer’ with over 240 men checking themselves live on Zoom.

MEN – WE NEED YOUR BALLS! 👏🍒

Join us for our #WorldRecord attempt for the 'Largest Simultaneous Self-Check for #TesticularCancer' 🙏

We need 237 men to break the current record 🙌 Have you got the balls to join us?

Register now 👇https://t.co/dgXx4uOcQz pic.twitter.com/riatl6tiKn

— The Robin Cancer Trust (@RCTcharity) March 17, 2021

For more info go to therobincancertrust.org