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, react to physical changes, and take action. In the follow-up 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 discovery of changes in the testicular glands to medical care can be divided into three phases. In the first phase, "something has happened," the men consider the changes and try to define the reasons. In the second phase, "facing the situation," they consider the situation and decide whether to talk to someone. In the third phase, "seeking medical help," it is a question of seeking help and being confronted by the medical diagnosis. In terms of time, the progression in the current study took from 1 day to 1 year. The men sought help when complications arose that made normal daily functions difficult. Six of the men suspected that the cause of their problems was cancer. Almost half of the participants in this study, including the six who suspected cancer, did not talk to anyone before they decided to seek medical help. The men who did talk to other people did not seek medical help any more quickly than the other men. None of the men routinely inspected their bodies.