Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
See book keywords and concepts |
 Unfortunately, sometimes a firm, painless lump can be a marker for testicular cancer; in fact, it's the most common sign. Other possible signs include a heaviness or discomfort in the scrotum; a dull ache in the groin, abdomen, or back; or enlarged or tender breasts. (See Chapter 7.) However, some men with testicular cancer have no discernible signs at all.
Testicular cancer is a rare cancer that affects primarily young men between the ages of 15 and 34; it's seldom seen in those over 40. |
Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith
See book keywords and concepts |
 Such increases over a twenty-year period cannot be explained by early detection, especially given that screening tests are not routinely employed.
?Testicular cancer is another malignancy rising in occurrence for the last several decades in virtually all developed nations. The nations oldest ongoing statewide tumor registry finds a mean annual increase in testicular cancer incidence of more than 5.5 percent over the last sixty years. New studies are showing that a mother's exposure to pollutants may contribute to testicular cancer in her sons years later.
? |
Bill Sardi
See book keywords and concepts |
 Still widely promoted in underground cancer
A story
Raul was a young, newly married man, who developed testicular cancer. A diet of southern fried foods didn't help his condition. But testicular cancer has a fairly high rate of survival if for no other reason than it often occurs among young men like Raul who have an intact immune system. Raul opted for alternative therapies. Vitamins, herbs, various natural therapies appeared to have thrown his cancer into remission.
Then, one day, at a health fair with his wife, he decided to undergo a session of iridology. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
See book keywords and concepts |
 The cure rate for testicular cancer is very high—over 95 percent—if it is detected early. Thankfully, new treatment methods can destroy even testicular cancers that have spread.
Causes and Risk Factors
The cause of testicular cancer is not known. It is known that cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) substantially increases the risk, even if the condition is corrected by surgery. Other risk factors include inguinal hernia during childhood and a personal history of mumps orchitis. |
Melody Petersen
See book keywords and concepts |
 It was discovered by researchers at Michigan State University and tested in patients with testicular cancer with the help of millions of dollars from taxpayers. The university then licensed the drug to Bristol-Myers, which for years promoted itself as a leading cancer research company through a partnership with the cycling champion Lance Armstrong. The cyclist beat back advanced testicular cancer at the age of twenty-five and went on to win the Tour de France, cyclings most prestigious race, seven times. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
See book keywords and concepts |
| The good news is that with early detection and treatment, survival rates for testicular cancer are very good.
#ln 1996, world champion cyclist Lance Armstrong was diagnosed at age 25 with testicular cancer. Not only was his treatment successful, but he went on to establish the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a not-for-profit cancer support and education organization. And he won the Tour de France for 7 years running, from 1999 through 2005.
WARNING SIGN
All men—especially those between the ages of 15 and 35—should perform monthly testicular self-exams. |
Bill Sardi
See book keywords and concepts |
| Pathology International 46: 311, 1996]
The incidence of testicular cancer has increased considerably in the past century. Various hypotheses are offered for this increase which includes exposure to environmental estrogens in plastics, though the data provided to support this thesis is inconsistent. A more consistent theory is that of iron overload. [Medical Hypotheses 51: 129, 1998]
"Iron oversupplyin cancer patients mightenhance tumor growth and adversely affect cancer therapy. |
| In eight cases where surgeons removed tumor cells from males with testicular cancer, surgery itself accelerated growth of remaining tumor cells. [Cancer 45: 1498-506, 1980]
In a controlled experiment, angiostatin, a chemical that inhibits the formation of new blood vessels that feed tumors, disappeared five days after animal tumors had been surgically removed. Tumor surgery "accelerated the growth of other tumors" says the report. [European Journal Cancer 37: 2283-88, 2001]
Even a simple biopsy is invasive enough to activate the wound-healing process and accelerate tumor progression. |
| A diet of southern fried foods didn't help his condition. But testicular cancer has a fairly high rate of survival if for no other reason than it often occurs among young men like Raul who have an intact immune system. Raul opted for alternative therapies. Vitamins, herbs, various natural therapies appeared to have thrown his cancer into remission.
Then, one day, at a health fair with his wife, he decided to undergo a session of iridology. An iridologist believes that various signs of disease are evident in the coloration, folds and patterns of the iris of the human eye. |
| Though the iridologist was well inten-tioned, his suggestion to Raul produced unwanted side effects - the roaring return of testicular cancer.
Raul and his wife were stunned to learn that DHEA should never have been suggested to a cancer patient in remission from a hormonally-driven cancer. Raul was flown by family members to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital in Houston for aggressive chemo and radiation therapy. All things alternative are not necessarily harmless.
Raul's last hope was a cancer treatment hospital in Mexico. He and his family felt "the presence of God" there. |
Andreas Moritz
See book keywords and concepts |
 Eczema, asthma, migraine, constipation, hay fever, arthritis, stomach trouble, lymph edema, heart disease and testicular cancer are all linked with high consumption of dairy products.
One such case was Tim who just turned 11 years old when his parents brought him to see me. He had developed asthma when he was five months old. The former treatment consisted of three different types of drugs, including cortisone and an inhaler. The boy's condition worsened steadily and he developed herpes and other symptoms of high toxicity. |
Devra Davis
See book keywords and concepts |
 Nor do we understand why rates of testicular cancer in men under age forty have risen 50 percent in one decade in most industrial nations, why women of generation X are getting twice as much breast cancer as their grandmothers did, or why young black women get and die from breast cancer in greater numbers than their white counterparts do.
Aging does not explain why so many more children have developed cancer. Can aging be involved in growing cases of childhood leukemias, kidney and brain cancer? In a strange way, yes. |
| Children with autism or other brain defects, tumors or leukemia, and young men with testicular cancer, lower sperm count and testosterone are increasing everywhere. Fewer baby boys are being born in many industrial countries. Are these things coming to light only because some people are looking for problems? How do we figure out whether other parts of the modern world are placing us at risk of coming down with health problems that we could avoid?
To get out of its sick building, Texas first had to understand how it ended up in trouble. |
Doris J. Rapp, M.D.
See book keywords and concepts |
 Male Sex Organs and Cancer53'3448
We do not know to what degree chemicals contribute to the marked increase in testicular and prostate cancer, but we do know:5a'34'48
• Cancer of the prostate has doubled in the past 50 years.23
• testicular cancer now affects approximately 1% of men, mainly in young men under 30 years.48
• testicular cancer has risen 66%, or tripled, in the past 50 years.122
In England and Wales, testicular cancer increased 80% between the 1970s and the 1990s. Chemicals again are suspect. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
See book keywords and concepts |
| Lance Armstrong was diagnosed at age 25 with testicular cancer. Not only was his treatment successful, but he went on to establish the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a not-for-profit cancer support and education organization. And he won the Tour de France for 7 years running, from 1999 through 2005.
WARNING SIGN
All men—especially those between the ages of 15 and 35—should perform monthly testicular self-exams.The best time to check for lumps is after a warm bath or shower. Here's how:
« Place your thumb on top of your testicle. Put your index and middle fingers under the testicle. |
Bill Sardi
See book keywords and concepts |
| For every 10,000 patients treated for testicular cancer, there may be an additional 25 cases of leukemia. [American Cancer Society August 1, 2000]
For ovarian cancer, among 10,000 patients treated with cisplatin, 21 may develop leukemia. [New England Journal Medicine 340: 351-57, 1999]
Eradicating every ominous cell from a cancer patient's body is a difficult goal - and in many cases, it may not be possible or even necessary. Source: Scientific American, Sep i 996
Chemotherapy facilitates the spread of cancer
Most roaming cancer cells are eliminated by the immune system. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
See book keywords and concepts |
| Occasionally, a hydrocele can signal testicular cancer. (See A Lump on the Testicle, below.)
Vvna/ About half of newborn baby boys have hydroceles. These scrotal swellings usually disappear by the baby's first birthday.
Scrotal swelling—as well as heavy-feeling testicles—can also be a sign of a serious infection of the epididymis, the spiral tube that stores and helps transport sperm. Medically called epididymitis, this infection is usually caused by an STD, such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. |
| Enlarged breasts in men can also be a warning sign of a pituitary tumor, a liver disorder, or even testicular cancer. Gynecomastia can also be a reaction to any one of a myriad of medicines commonly prescribed to men, including those to treat baldness, ulcers, heartburn, high blood pressure, depression, heart failure, or prostate problems. Or it can signal marijuana or steroid use and abuse.
WARNING SIGN
Because men with Klinefelter's syndrome have higher-than-normal estrogen levels, they're at increased risk of breast cancer. |
Stacy Malkan
See book keywords and concepts |
 A similar spectrum of health effects found in the lab animals exposed to certain phthalates was also occurring in people: sperm counts appeared to be declining in industrialized countries, birth defects of the male reproductive tract had been increasing, and testicular cancer was on the rise. Scientists called these human health effects "testicular dysgenesis syndrome," and some suspected the disorders could be caused by phthalates and other chemicals that interfere with male sex hormones. |
| My 27-year-old nephew was just diagnosed with Stage 3 testicular cancer," Jeanne Rizzo told me at the end of our half-hour conversation about pink ribbons. "I want that kid cured," she said, her voice rising. "I don't care if they have to dump a superfund site down his veins. But I don't want my son and my other nephew to get it either. How can you ignore the prevention part of it?"
As the teen cancer programs remind us, cancer is everywhere and it's everyone's problem. Everyone needs to be part of the solution too — especially the wealthy corporations that brand themselves to breast cancer. |
Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
See book keywords and concepts |
| Never use a
Emits up to 134 milligauss laptop on your lap as this can promote cervical, ovarian, prostate, and testicular cancer.
4. Electric kettle - Using electricity to boil water changes the structure of its molecules and can cause adverse reactions in many people. Boil water on the range using only non-toxic cookware.
5. Television - Sitting too close (within 6 feet) to the television exposes the body to high levels of EMF's. Place a Safe Space™ clearing device in the room with the TV you use most commonly. Reduce TV and video game time to 2 hours daily if possible. |
Melody Petersen
See book keywords and concepts |
| The cyclist beat back advanced testicular cancer at the age of twenty-five and went on to win the Tour de France, cyclings most prestigious race, seven times. Bristol-Myers paid money to Armstrong's cancer charity for a campaign in which he credited the company with saving his life. After one of Armstrong's Tour de France victories, the company paid for advertisements proclaiming, "This miracle is brought to you by Bristol-Myers Squibb. |
Herbert Ross, DC with Keri Brenner, L.Ac.
See book keywords and concepts |
 According to some researchers, environmental estrogens may contribute to testicular cancer, urinary tract disorders, and low sperm count. In men, a high level of estrogen slows down the production of testosterone.19 Exposure to lead, mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals also inhibits testosterone production.20
Men's hormone levels can be adversely affected by certain lifestyle choices. Smoking, in particular, may be a factor in reduced production of testosterone. |
Ray D. Strand
See book keywords and concepts |
 Despite evidence of increased cure rates in the treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma, childhood leukemia, and testicular cancer, there is growing fear of the development of secondary cancers and complications that are the result of these treatments.20
The good news lies in the fact that medical research is beginning to support the idea of supplementation with a mixture of antioxidants and supporting nutrients. This mix can actually enhance traditional chemo- and radiation therapy while at the same time protecting normal cells from toxic effects. |
Rick Levy and Lou Aronica
See book keywords and concepts |
 Lance Armstrong, seven-time winner of the Tour de France, overcame testicular cancer, which should have killed him, then started a worldwide movement for cancer awareness and research. You can be that powerful.
What is the difference between Lance Armstrong and you? Nothing! Except that he knows how powerful he can be, and you probably do not know how powerful you are. Like Lance Armstrong, you can achieve any noble goal you set your heart to.
People like Lance Armstrong refuse to buy in to two big lies that permeate our culture and hold people back. |
David Steinman
See book keywords and concepts |
 In male babies, this could mean a child born with undescended testicles or who is susceptible to testicular cancer. In adults, such influences can translate into diminished sperm quality and higher rates of prostate cancer. In women, such changes can promote breast and ovarian cancer.
"Behavioral and developmental problems in children are among the most pervasive sociological issues in the United States today," said Charles W. Schmidt, one of America's top science writers. |
Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith
See book keywords and concepts |
| New studies are showing that a mother's exposure to pollutants may contribute to testicular cancer in her sons years later.
?Age-adjusted incidence of breast cancer in industrialized countries has increased 1 to 2 percent per year for several decades, both before and after the introduction of mammography.
?Prostate cancer is up nearly 290 percent in the last fifty years.
?Thyroid cancer is up 258 percent.
Cases of skin melanomas are up almost 700 percent in the last fifty years.
? |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
See book keywords and concepts |
| Detection and Diagnosis
A monthly self-exam is the best way to detect testicular cancer early (seeTesticular Cancer Self-Test on page 282), especially for boys and men between the ages of fifteen and forty. Yearly examinations by a physician are suggested as well. If cancer is suspected after examination of a mass, your physician will request a testicular ultrasound. Ultimately, a biopsy is needed for complete diagnosis.
Dietary and Nutritional Factors
A low-fat diet that includes generous helpings of fruits, vegetables, and grains is recommended. |
J. Douglas Bremner
See book keywords and concepts |
 Men who have had their testicles removed at a young age because of testicular cancer or another medical reason do not develop BPH, probably as a result of the ensuing lack of dihydrotestosterone, which has a stimulatory effect on prostate tissue. Similarly, if after developing BPH a man has his testicles removed, the prostate begins to shrink.
Less than half of all men with BPH have symptoms of the disease, which include frequent urination and urgency, urinating at night, weak urine stream, straining to void, dribbling after urination, and incomplete urination. |
Email this page to a friend
