St. Louis (April 14, 2023) April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month and Urology of St. Louis (USL), the largest private urologic practice in St. Louis and the Metro East, is raising awareness about the importance of monthly self-exams and early detection. Seth Strope, MD says there are a few specific indicators that could signal a problem.
“The most important thing we tell patients is to know your body and recognize when something feels different,” said Dr. Strope. “Symptoms can include a lump or enlargement, feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, dull ache in the abdomen or groin, sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum, and pain or discomfort. Talking about this can cause anxiety for some patients, but the sooner you see a urologist, the sooner you will get answers.”
Dr. Strope said testicular cancer can affect people at any age, but it is most often found in men ages 15 to 40 years old. After patients are examined by a urologist, they will typically undergo an ultrasound, blood tests and advanced imaging. When detected early, testicular cancer has a survival rate of 95%.
“Testicular cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer and the goal is always to detect it before it spreads to other parts of the body,” said Dr. Strope. “That’s why we encourage men to not wait months before seeing a doctor if they suspect something is wrong. We know this can be a difficult topic for men to discuss because it’s in a sensitive area, but if they notice anything that feels abnormal, it’s worth giving us a call.”
Dr. Strope said there are no known activities or environmental exposures that increase the risk of this type of cancer. The primary risk factors are a history of an undescended testicle at birth or a family history of testicular cancer.
USL offers treatment for a wide range of urological conditions including prostate cancer, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, sexual health, benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney stones, kidney cancer, vasectomies and erectile dysfunction. For more information about their telehealth services or to find a list of locations, visit their website at stlurology.com/ or email at info@stlurology.com.
Link to Riverbender article:
https://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/urology-of-st-louis-encourages-men-to-stay-on-top-of-their-health-during-testicular-cancer-awareness-month-58075.cfm
