“Probably Nothing” Turned Out to Be Testicular Cancer

“It’s probably nothing.” But it was testicular cancer. Here’s Mike’s story.

Mike wasn’t quite 40 when he had a vasectomy. During the days that followed he felt a lump on one side of his scrotum. “So I called the urologist who said it’s probably nothing, but come in and we’ll take a look,” Mike recalls.

He met with a MidLantic Urology physician assistant who ordered an ultrasound for the next day. After reading the ultrasound, the radiologist, who was a friend of Mike’s, told him ‘this doesn’t look good.’ So Mike immediately reached out to his buddy, MidLantic Urology’s Dr. David Cahn. Within days he was on the operating table.

Testicular cancer is not very common. It affects mostly young males between the ages of 15 and 35, and occurs when abnormal cells grow out of control in the testes.

When detected early, testicular cancer is highly treatable as was the case with Mike. He had the diseased testicle removed. No radiation. No chemotherapy. Follow-up meant quarterly CAT scans, then semi-annual CAT scans. If the scans continue to be clear for five years, Mike will be declared cancer free.

Looking back, Mike is really glad he got the vasectomy. “Without it I may have never noticed the lump.” And, as he tells his family and friends, if you think there’s something wrong with you, there’s no shame in going to a doctor. “What you think is nothing might actually be something.”