FORT HOOD, Texas (Army News Service, June 16, 2011) -- Medical professionals at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center warn the majority of male Soldiers at Fort Hood are part of the most at-risk group for testicular cancer. The form of cancer may be rare, but it does occur most often in men between the ages of 20 and 39.
"Soldiers need to be aware of the risk. While the survival rate is more than 90 percent, testicular cancer can still be lethal if it is too advanced once it is discovered," said Maj. Eric Whitman, a urologist in the Department of Surgery at CRDAMC.
As part of National Men's Health month in June, Whitman is promoting education and awareness of the disease. He encourages Soldiers to take an active role in managing their testicular health by performing regular, monthly self-exams.
"Soldiers should always be on the offensive, not just for one month out of the year or at their annual physical exam. Ignoring a testis mass for a month, or several months, can be fatal," he added. "Testicular cancer is now one of the most curable cancers, but the more advanced it is, the less options a man has for treatment and he will also be more likely to require more treatment modalities."
Whitman described testicular cancer as the fastest growing solid tumor known to man.
"Tumors can double in size in less than one week. No other cancer that I know of behaves like that. Most other cancers take decades to develop," he said. "Since it grows so fast, we don't delay when dealing with testis mass -- we remove it the same day that we discover it."
Most men with testicular cancer can be cured with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Whitman said while the cure rate is high, the treatments are pretty aggressive. Side effects vary, depending on the type of treatment and may be different for each person. Chemotherapy can leave some men infertile.
The testicular cancer rate has more than doubled among white men in the past 40 years, but has only recently begun to increase among black men, according to the National Cancer Institute. There is no known cause, but men who have had an undescended testicle or a brother or father with the disease may be more at risk for developing testicular cancer.
More cases of testis cancer are identified in the Army population in part due to servicemembers' improved access to care, as well as required annual exams and early screening efforts. Whitman said he sees more testis cancer and testicular torsion cases than his civilian counterparts because of the primary age group of Soldiers he serves.
"While neither condition is common, I see a lot of both conditions -- typically three to five cases of each a year, which is a lot for a hospital our size," he said.
Testicular torsion is the twisting of the spermatic cord, which cuts off the blood supply to the testicle (only the testis and epididymis). It can be associated with trauma to the scrotum, particularly if significant swelling occurs. It may also occur after strenuous exercise or may not have an obvious cause.
"It's important to note that testicular torsion can happen without trauma," Whitman stated."When they notice their scrotum begins to swell and they have discomfort, most young men attribute it to some vigorous activity that they recently did. If they wake up with severe testicular pain, they assume it's because they got hit there playing basketball the night before, when in actuality, the trauma may not necessarily be the cause."
"Any acute pain, with swelling, lasting for over an hour, needs emergency evaluation for torsion," he cautioned. "If we get to it within four to six hours, we will probably be able to save the testis. After 12 hours, there is almost no hope."
Whitman said he can't emphasize enough the importance of being aware of testicular health and performing monthly self exams.
"Being shy about one's anatomy is the most likely reason why men present so late with tumors or torsion," he said. "But most men will be less shy if they know that they could lose a testicle (in the case of torsion) or should lose it (in the case of tumors) before it spreads."
Whitman said the publicity associated with Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's battle with testicular cancer have helped increase awareness of the disease.
"But I haven't seen the push to perform self exams in the media, and more importantly, to seek care immediately for any changes discovered in that exam," Whitman said. "That's the most important message. Perform those exams regularly. Teach your pubescent sons how to do an exam too."
After a self-exam, men should see their primary care provider if they notice any symptoms such as a painless lump or swelling in a testicle, any enlargement of a testicle or change in the way it feels. Seek immediate medical attention for any pain and swelling lasting more than an hour.
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