Using Humor to Promote Cancer Awareness
- In 2000, comedian Tom Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer. At the time, he was the host of The Tom Green Show on MTV and the fiancé of Drew Barrymore.
- Rather than retreating into privacy, Green took the world along with him on his treatment journey. He aired a comedy special about his testicular cancer called The Tom Green Cancer Special.
- The provocative special helped encourage conversations about testicular cancer and educate viewers about how they could screen themselves.
In the early 2000s, Tom Green was at the top of the comedy world. He was also Drew Barrymore's fiancé. Green rose to fame with his own MTV show, The Tom Green Show, and in May of 2000, he aired The Tom Green Cancer Special. The special followed the lead-up to the comedian's operation to remove one of his testicles, also including comedic skits, and graphic footage of the surgery itself.
Read MoreUnderstanding Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer is rare, but it is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in young men. Depending on the stage, the disease is considered extremely treatable. Treatment options can include chemotherapy and radiation, but often the first line of treatment is surgery to remove the testicle containing the cancerous cells.
Symptoms of testicular cancer can be subtle. Some people may even confuse the early symptoms such as a small mass in their testicle as an injury. But when these signs are dismissed, cancer can grow and become worse.
"It's not uncommon to see men come in with masses on their scrotum and have inflammation of the scrotal wall; they develop pain as a result. A lump is the most common symptom of testicular cancer," Dr. Edwin Posadas, the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, tells SurvivorNet.
Dr. Posadas says some men may even notice blood in their ejaculate as a result of testicular cancer. "This symptom is less common, but always bad," he says.
Dr. Posadas urges young men to seek medical care if they are having symptoms. "Most men under the age of 40 tend not to think about seeing a doctor they need to know to advocate for themselves," he says.
Testicular cancer survivor Mark Borja noticed his area was really lacking in awareness about the disease – so he decided to do something about it.
Screening for Testicular Cancer
Testicular self-examination is one way to screen for this disease, says Dr. Posadas.
"It takes less than a minute. Rub testicles through your fingers looking for any sore areas. Rub the top of the testicle, particularly the delicate epididymis." (The epididymis is a tube at the back of the testicles which stores and carries sperm.)
"Don't squeeze real hard on there," says Dr. Posadas. "[You should] look for a smoother feel; if you feel a hard nodule on there, you may require blood work from a urologist. [Testicular cancer] is highly curable, even when it's advanced."
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Bradley McGregor, clinical director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, also emphasized the importance of self-examinations.
"It is considered that men aged 15 to 55 perform a monthly self-examination to find any changes to help find the cancer at an early stage," Dr. McGregor says. And if someone spots any of the early symptoms, "he should visit his doctor immediately." It's important to be aware of your body and get in touch with a doctor if you notice anything unusual.
Dr. McGregor continues, "Testicular cancer commonly occurs from ages 20-45, but it can occur at any age. The highest risk factor for testicular cancer is a history of cryptorchidism, an undescended testicle, where the testicle does not move down into the scrotum before birth. Men with a family history of testicular cancer are at increased risk as well. No lifestyle changes have been shown to definitively reduce risk of testicular cancer."
Contributing: SurvivorNet staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
