New CACTI Study Shows That Nearly Half of Men Do Not Perform Self-Exams

In conjunction with National Testicular Cancer Awareness Month (April), The Center for Advocacy for Cancer of the Testes International (CACTI.org) released survey results today revealing that nearly half of men polled do not perform self-exams yet 60% would if someone told them it could save their life. The sensitive nature of the disease may be behind the general misinformation that surrounds it.

The CACTI survey polled over 1,000 men and found:

• More than 1-in-3 of all men polled have never been told about the importance of a monthly self-exam.
• Nearly half of those surveyed do not perform self-exams.
• More than 60 percent of those surveyed say they would perform a monthly self-exam if someone told them it could save their life.
• Even though close to 100 percent of those surveyed believe that testicular cancer is curable, 80 percent are still afraid of dying from it.
• That 40 percent of men surveyed believe they can get testicular cancer from things like wearing tight underwear, taking a spin class, or having too much sex.
• Close to 50 percent of men polled believe testicular cancer is detected during an annual physical exam.
• More than 63 percent of men surveyed were not aware that testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men ages 15-44.

“The survey shows men are still painfully ill-equipped at taking the simple steps necessary to detect this highly curable disease,” said Scott Petinga, a testicular cancer survivor and founder of CACTI.org. “Our goal at CACTI is to raise awareness, so that one day men check for testicular cancer as regularly as their female counterparts check their breasts for lumps.”

During his emergency surgery and post-operative care, Petinga discovered firsthand how little he and others around him, including those treating him, knew about treatment options and support for those who contracted this particular cancer. It led him to create the CACTI organization, to serve as an advocacy voice and support resource for those who have been diagnosed.

“That 40 percent of men we surveyed believe they can get testicular cancer from things like wearing tight underwear, taking a spin class, or having too much sex is pretty alarming,” Petinga declares. “It shows how far, as a culture concerned about health and well-being, we still need to go in educating ourselves.”

“Early detection is critical,” reports Sia Daneshmand, MD, Director of Urology at USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Institute of Urology. “While it’s highly curable, discovering this cancer at higher stage means more intensive treatment – like more cycles of chemotherapy, post-chemo RPLND, etc.”

One of the survey’s most surprising observations was how few men perform self-exams or even know what to look for when they do. Petinga is hoping to raise awareness with men and their partners this month with the mass distribution of a self-check flier that helps men understand what they need to do to keep their testes health in check.

The survey was conducted in March 2018, polling over 1,000 men on Survey Monkey.

For more specific details about the survey, please contact Lynn Munroe.

About CACTI.org

CACTI.org, founded in 2015 by testicular cancer survivor, Scott Petinga, is a 501(c)(3) public charity that serves as a voice of advocacy for testicular cancer patients, their families and the healthcare professionals who treat them.