[gtp]

Hi Everyone!

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer for men age 15-40 (although it is rare compared to, say, prostate cancer). I encourage man on this board to do monthly testicular cancer self-tests. Please see here on how to do it: LINK
Please also go to your yearly physicals (and the docs should be checking for testicular cancer).

I haven't been around here much for the last 3-4 months. The reason is that I was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the end of March. Big shock (to say the least) since I am a 31 year old, non-smoker, casual drinker, athletic, healthy, happy, married with a <1 year old baby daughter. The good news is that it was caught early, and because of that the cure rate is ~98%. I am currently 6 weeks into a 9 week chemotherapy regimen. Most testicular cancers can be cured with surgery and a small amount of radiation therapy. I was a bit unlucky in that the type I have is more aggressive, and hence the need for chemo.

Needless to say, chemotherapy is not fun, but it is better than the alternative! It is especially not fun for those of us in this hobby. I have developed severe tinnitus and some high frequency hearing loss. The doctor said that this will most likely go away, but there is a small chance it will be permanent. Further, I have numbness in my fingers, so no soldering DIY projects for a while! It can be frustrating for me to read HeadFi, with all the cool DIY projects, new amps and headphones.

I really don't mean to complain. I am actually thankful that the type of cancer I developed is almost completely curable. I am looking forward to beating this disease and spending many more years enjoying music, headphones and amps!

Anyway, please, please do your self-exams since early discover is important!

 

[Assorted]

Sorry to hear about this, and thank you for the information.

 

[mrarroyo]

I am glad that it was caught on time and that you are doing better. I also commend you for posting on a very sensitive subject both becasue of where the cancer is at but also because it hits man in their prime and we are likely to deny it or have false bravado. Best of luck.

 

[Zorander]

Will this be caught through a general blood test (which I do annually)?

 

[velogreg]

Ignoring Cancer doesn't make it go away, thans for bringing this subject to light. Wishing you a full and speedy recovery.

 

[Homeless]

That's scary. Glad to hear everything is going better for you and thanks for bringing this to mine, and everyone else's attention...

 

[jules650]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will this be caught through a general blood test (which I do annually)?

Only if you get your tumour markers tested annually. However I think you can have a testicular cancer without raised tumour markers. Regular self-examination is probably the best form of screening.

 

[gtp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorander /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will this be caught through a general blood test (which I do annually)?

I don't think that typical annual blood tests check for tumor markers. However, as Jules650 alluded to, there can be cancer without any tumor markers. This was the case for me. Blood tests done the day before my surgery showed absolutely no tumor markers present.

However, at your yearly physical, your doc *should* do a testicle exam. With a testicular tumor there isn't always pain until a more advanced state, so the best way to detect at a very early stage is to do the self-exam in the link I provided.

 

[gtp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am glad that it was caught on time and that you are doing better. I also commend you for posting on a very sensitive subject both becasue of where the cancer is at but also because it hits man in their prime and we are likely to deny it or have false bravado. Best of luck.

This denial and bravado is what resulted in Lance Armstrong's case of testicular cancer becoming so evolved. He did not see a doctor until he was spitting up blood, had constant headaches, and his testicle was the size of a lemon. If he had gone to a doctor at the early signs of pain, he would have been much better off.

 

[Konig]

For some reason im starting to feel very privileged living in canada

May u have a god speed Recovery!

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtp /img/forum/go_quote.gif This denial and bravado is what resulted in Lance Armstrong's case of testicular cancer becoming so evolved. He did not see a doctor until he was spitting up blood, had constant headaches, and his testicle was the size of a lemon. If he had gone to a doctor at the early signs of pain, he would have been much better off.

Yikes. Good thing you didn't wait that long.

What early signs do you recognize now in retrospect? Anything in particular you would look/feel for if you could check in the past?

Good to hear you're pulling through. Hope your tinnitus goes away, it really sucks.

-Ed

 

[gtp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yikes. Good thing you didn't wait that long. What early signs do you recognize now in retrospect? Anything in particular you would look/feel for if you could check in the past? Good to hear you're pulling through. Hope your tinnitus goes away, it really sucks. -Ed

Early signs? I was "lucky" to have some pain before the tumor could even be felt with a manual exam. The urologists were actually pretty surprised, because most testicular tumors aren't painful until a much later stage. I had my yearly physical 3 months before my diagnosis, and there were no abnormalities. In fact when I went to the doctor about the pain, at first he ruled out a tumor because he couldn't feel any lumps or anything out of the ordinary. I was finally diagnosed after an ultrasound detected the tumor. The very next day the tumor was removed. Talk about a tumultuous Thursday and Friday!

 

[gtp]

For some reason im starting to feel very privileged living in canada

Huh? Men in Canada get TC too.

 

[Clutz]

Hey gtp, just wishing you the best luck at a full recovery.

 

[Edwood]

For some reason im starting to feel very privileged living in canada
Quote:

Huh? Men in Canada get TC too.

No kidding, not to mention, is it possible to have a tumor removeal surgical procedure done the very next day in Canada?

-Ed