Check your balls

This article originally appeared in the August 2018 edition of Cancer PreventionWorks.

In February, Steven Eisner noticed an unusual firmness in his right testicle during a regular self-check.

Since he’s a gamer and frequently participates in Awesome Games Done Quick, a video game marathon that has raised more than $6 million for the Prevent Cancer Foundation^®, he had read about the importance of monthly self- checks for testicular cancer. Sure enough, after a few doctors’ appointments and an initial misdiagnosis of an infection, Steven learned he had testicular cancer.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men ages 15-34. The good news is that when it is diagnosed early, the survival rate is 99 percent. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to changes in your body and call your doctor when you notice anything different, like Steven did.

“I was able to discover this change in my body early on thanks to the resources that the Prevent Cancer Foundation provided on their website, and I was lucky to have such smart and quick-thinking doctors to guide me along the way,” Steven said. “While my battle is only a couple months long so far, I’m confident that in five years I will officially declare myself cancer-free!”

Once a month, take a couple minutes in the shower to check your testicles. If you notice a change in size, firmness or weight, or feel a lump, call your doctor. Speaking up when you notice something different just might save your life.

If you would like to connect with Steven or learn more about his story, you can contact him on Twitter at @keizaron.