Chris Stark announces testicular cancer diagnosis – What are the signs?
The DJ, who has now had treatment, was diagnosed ‘after a routine trip to my local doctors’.
Radio presenter Chris Stark has announced his diagnosis with testicular cancer and is encouraging men to get themselves checked.
The disease is most common in men aged 15 to 49 but it can affect anyone who has testicles, according to the NHS website.
The 38-year-old DJ, who has now had treatment for the cancer, said he had been diagnosed “a couple of months ago, after a routine trip to my local doctors” in a social media post on Monday.
He added that he is “effectively cured” and that “it was caught early” but said “I feel like an idiot that I didn’t spot this sooner”.
He added: “My hope is any bloke reading this will perhaps think to check themselves today, or go to a doctor if not sure about any possible symptoms.”
– How common is testicular cancer and what are the survival rates?
According to Cancer Research UK, the outlook for testicular cancer is one of the best for all cancers with around 90 out of 100 men (around 90%) surviving their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis.
However, while the prognosis is good for most men who get it, a patient’s outlook depends on the stage of the cancer when it was diagnosed and whether it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
– What are the main symptoms?
The main symptoms of testicular cancer includes a lump or swelling in the testicle, a change in size and aches or pains in the testicle or scrotum.
Other symptoms also include the scrotum feeling heavy, stomach aches, losing weight, a cough, difficulty breathing or swallowing and a sore or swollen chest.
– What is the treatment for testicular cancer?
Treatment depends on the size and type of testicular cancer and if it has spread.
Usually the testicle will be removed in surgery and patients may also have chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Some treatments can affect fertility and some people collect and store their sperm before their treatment.
