Every male has been advised to go for regular testicular examination to help detect testicular cancer in its early stage.
Prosper Igboeli, a gynecologist,who is also the Managing Director of M and M Hospital, Fertility and IVF Centre, said that just as women are encouraged to perform monthly self examination on their breasts, men are also encouraged to perform monthly examination of their testes to detect testicular cancer early and increase their chances of survival.
He said that the examination would help to detect any form of abnormality around the male reproductive organ.
Igboeli said that performing monthly testicular self examination was for all males who have reached puberty between the ages of 15 and 34.
“The best time to perform the self examination is during or after a bath or shower, when the skin of the scrotum is relaxed,” he said. “To perform the examination, men should examine each testicle separately by rolling it gently between the thumb and fingers then look and feel for hard lumps or masses or changes in size, shape, or consistency of the testes.”
He said that testicular cancer was one of the most common cancers in young men, adding that it was usually discovered by the men themselves or by their partners as a lump or enlarged swollen testicle.
He said that male babies should also have their genitals checked for congenital abnormalities by their attendants or their parents.
Igboeli said that the genitals of male babies could be examined by specialists for any “undescended’’ testicle, meaning that their testicles may not be out but remain in the abdomen, leaving the scrotum empty.