Below the belt: testicular cancer can strike men in their prime, but early detection and treatment offer a high chance of recovery

LANCE ARMSTRONG'S triumph over testicular cancer has become part of his legend, but you don't have to be a world-class athlete to win this particular fight. In fact, the overall cure rate for the disease, when found early, tops 90 percent.

"It's a modern miracle of medicine," says oncologist Herman Kattlove, M.D., a medical editor for the American Cancer Society. "Nothing for men is as successfully treated with chemotherapy as testicular cancer."

That's good news considering the incidence of this cancer has more than doubled among white males in the past 40 years. There are about 8,000 new cases annually in the United States, most commonly in men between ages 15 and 40. To date, researchers haven't found a link to any specific habits, activities, or lifestyles.

Men should perform testicular self-examinations monthly--the earlier the discovery, the easier the cancer is to treat. The earliest symptoms are typically pain, swelling, and/or hardness in the testicle. "Any abnormal feel to the testes should be examined by a doctor," says Kattlove.

Other danger signs include a small, painless lump on the testicle; a collection of blood or fluid or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum; an aching in the lower abdomen or the groin; tenderness in the breast area; or low back pain. Unfortunately, some men delay seeing a doctor out of embarrassment; it's also possible to have no symptoms.

In addition to chemotherapy, treatments include radiation and removal of the affected testicle. While chemotherapy can cause sterility, and patients are offered the option of "banking" sperm, the sterility doesn't necessarily last, says Lawrence Einhorn, M.D., a professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine who treated Armstrong. In about 60 percent of patients, sperm count returns to normal.

supplemental treatments

Proper nutrition and complementary therapies should lessen the side effects of standard treatment and boost the healing process, says James Dillard, M.D., medical director of Columbia University's Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (Always discuss such matters with your physician.)

For cancer recovery in general, Dillard suggests a whole-foods diet, and supplementing with vitamin C, a multivitamin with B complex, and mixed carotenoids. Reducing inflammation may limit recurrence, so he advises adding anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids (found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds) and eliminating pro-inflammatory vegetable oils (see page 37 for more details).

Acupuncture and ginger tea help counter nausea from chemotherapy. Also, yoga, massage, tai chi, meditation, and lemon balm all reduce stress, which improves the body's ability to fight cancer. "I think most cancer doctors would agree there is a mind-body connection here," says Dillard.

When in Doubt, Check It Out

A testicular examination should be part of a routine annual checkup. You can also perform a monthly self-exam after a shower or bath, when the scrotum is relaxed.

1. Stand naked before a mirror. Place one foot on a chair seat.

2. Examine each testicle separately, holding it between your thumbs and fingers and rolling it gently with your fingers.

3. Look and feel for the emergence of hard pea-size lumps or nodules, or any other changes to the testes. Pain or swelling may signal infection or blockage; consult your doctor.

4. A spongy, tubelike structure (the epididymis) may be felt on the top and down the back surface; this is a normal part of each testicle.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
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