Testicular Cancer and Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month

This April we recognise Testicular Cancer Awareness Month and Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month.

Testicular Cancer Awareness Month

Testicular cancer is the 2nd most common cancer diagnosed in young men aged 20 – 39 years old. According to the Cancer Council 2025 it is estimated that 1,026 people were diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2024 with the average age of diagnosis being 36 years old. Testicular cancer is highly curable if detected early which is why performing self-examinations is so important.

Risk Factors for developing testicular Cancer:

• undescended testicle in infancy
• family history of testicular cancer
• past history of testicular cancer
• diagnosed infertility
• HIV and AIDS
• Hypospadias (opening of the urethra on the underside of the penis)
• Cannabis use
• Intersex variations (i.e. partial androgen insensitivity syndrome)

Signs and Symptoms of testicular cancer:

According to the Cancer Council 2025 “The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless swelling or a lump in a testicle or a change in size or shape.

Less common symptoms include:

• feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
• feeling of unevenness
• pain or ache in the lower abdomen, the testicle or scrotum
• lower back pain
• enlargement or tenderness of the breast tissue (due to hormones created by cancer cells)

If found early, testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers. This is why self-checking in so important”

For more information about testicular cancer from the Cancer Council please follow this link - Understanding Testicular Cancer

Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month

April also makes Oesophageal Cancer awareness Month and grants us the opportunity to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of this rare cancer which has relatively low survival rates compared with other cancers.

According the the Cancer Council 2025 it is estimated that 1,785 people were diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2024. The average age at diagnosis is 71 years old and men are more likely to be diagnosed that women. There is currently no National Screening Program available for oesophageal cancer.