An interview study of men discovering testicular cancer

Testicular cancer affects men between 15 and 45 years old. The aim of this study was to show how men with testicular cancer discover their cancer, rea ct to physical changes, and take action. In the follow-vp phase, 21 who had undergone surgery for testicular cancer were interviewed. The results show clearly that the men focus on their physical pain. The progress from the d iscovery of changes in the testicular glands to medical care can be divided into three phases. In the first phase, "something has happened," the men c onsider the changes and try to define the reasons. In the second phase, "fa cing the situation," they consider the situation and decide whether to talk to someone. In the third phase, "seeking medical help," it is a question o f seeking help and being confronted by the medical diagnosis. In terms of t ime, the progression in the current study took from 1 day to 1 year. The me n sought help when complications arose that made normal daily functions dif ficult. Six of the men suspected that the cause of their problems was cance r. Almost half of the participants in this study, including the six who sus pected cancer, did not talk to anyone before they decided to seek medical h elp. The men who did talk to Other people did not seek medical help any mor e quickly than the other men. None of the men routinely inspected their bod ies.