Testicular Cancer Awareness and Knowledge: Is It the Same? Exploratory Study in a Mixed-Gender Population

Abstract

Testicular cancer (TC) is among the most common malignancies in the young male. Awareness plays an important role, because delay in diagnosis affects outcome. Testicular self-examination (TSE) is controversial, but recent evidence shows some cost benefits in performing this exam versus a late-stage diagnosis. The aims of this study are to determine and compare awareness for TC and TSE in males and females with the actual knowledge to this disease in an academic population. An exploratory study using an online questionnaire about TC and TSE was performed in a public university. Answers were collected and submitted to statistical analysis. A total of 815 participants-507 males (62.2 %) and 308 females (37.7 %)-answered the survey. The participants that responded that they were aware of TC were 399/507 (78.7 %) males and 275/308 (89.3 %) females. About half (48.9 %) of male and 42.2 % of female respondents did not answered correctly to most common symptom, and only 15 % of males and 25 % of females answered to the question on age at diagnosis. Both gender subjects rated TSE as very important, and the majority of females were motivated to advise male partners or friends to perform TSE. This study reported a good awareness on TC and TSE, but comparing to the correct knowledge about this disease, results are disappointing. The actual knowledge about TC is low and comparable in men and women. Women revealed a better understanding of this disease and importance of TSE, suggesting that they can assume an important role in promoting health behaviors in men.

The awareness of testicular cancer among young males in the Lubelskie Region / Świadomość nowotworu jądra wśród młodych mężczyzn na Lubelszczyźnie

“…According to a number of literature sources on testicular cancer awareness, the level of knowledge among the young men is relatively low [10,11]. The study conducted among men in Lubelskie Province leads to a similar conclusion.…”

“…Jeden mężczyzna (0,8%) przyznał, że w jego bliskiej rodzinie wystąpił przypadek tego nowotworu. DYSKUSJA W nawiązaniu do licznych źródeł literatury, wiedza na temat nowotworu jądra w populacji młodych mężczyzn jest stosunkowo niska [10,11], co potwierdziło badanie przeprowadzone wśród młodych mężczyzn w wojewódz-twie lubelskim. Świadomość tej tematyki wydaje się być niewystarczająca, co wnioskować można z samooceny osób poddanych badaniu, a także ewaluacji opartej na wynikach kwestionariusza.…”

Does cancer education matter? Report on testicular cancer knowledge, awareness, and self-examination practice among young Polish men.

“…A low level of awareness of young age as a risk factor for TC was revealed, which is particularly disappointing. Various reports have indicated that young male students are unaware of being in the age-risk group for TC, which is the most common neoplasm in 15-35 year age group [14,24,25]. Presumably, young men are not very conscious of cancer and their perception of malignant pathologies is associated only with older people [26].…”

“…Surveys conducted by various researchers also show that the percentage of correct answers concerning the early symptoms of TC uctuates and seems to be unsatisfactory. Braga et al found that only about 42% of Portuguese male respondents indicated to the most common TC signs and symptoms correctly [24]. Roy et al documented that less than 30% of Irish men properly recognized the rst symptoms of the disease [14].…”

Affluence and Private Health Insurance Influence Treatment and Survival in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

“…For the majority of patients, however, symptoms are insidious and non-specific, and an enlarged lymph node or other mass is usually the first diagnostic sign [55]. As with breast [56, 57] and testicular [58–60] cancer, socio-economic factors may lead to cultural and educational differences causing delay before presenting with a lump. These delays may contribute to late or emergency presentation.…”