Testicular Self Examination (TSE)
Testicular cancer affects young men, between the ages of 15 and 40. A monthly self examination of this part of the body is important to know what it feels like normally and to help identify a change that may indicate a health problem. The earlier that a health problem, like testicular cancer, is diagnosed and treated, the more successful the outcome.
- The testicular self exam is best performed after a warm bath or shower.
(Heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to spot anything abnormal)
Follow these steps every month (keep in mind that the point is not to find something wrong, it is to learn what everything feels like so that you will know if something 
changes):
- Stand in front of a mirror. Check for any swelling on the scrotal skin.
- Examine each testicle with both hands. Place the index and middle fingers under the testicle with the thumbs placed on top. Roll the testicle gently between the thumbs and fingers -- you shouldn't feel any pain when doing the exam. Don't be alarmed if one testicle seems slightly larger than the other, that's normal.
- Find the epididymis, the soft, tubelike structure behind the testicle that collects and carries sperm. If you are familiar with this structure, you won't mistake it for a suspicious lump. Cancerous lumps usually are found on the sides of the testicle but can also show up on the front. Lumps on the epididymis are not cancerous.
- If you find a lump on your testicle, see a doctor, preferably a urologist, right away. The abnormality may not be cancer, it may just be an infection. But if it is testicular cancer, it will spread if it is not stopped by treatment. Waiting and hoping will not fix anything. Please note that free floating lumps in the scrotum that are not attached in any way to a testicle are not testicular cancer. When in doubt, get it checked out - if only for peace of mind!
Other signs of testicular cancer:
- Any enlargement of a testicle
- A significant loss of size in one of the testicles A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- A dull ache in the lower abdomen or in the groin
- A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
- Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum
- Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts
- If you think something feels strange, go see the doctor!
Adapted from The Testicular Cancer Resource Center website (1997, 2006)
http://www.acor.org/TCRC/tcexam.html
