More than likely, cancer is a disease that many older adults have spent some time learning about either because they’ve been personally affected or have had a spouse, family member, or friend affected. However, many older adults don’t know as much about specific types of cancer as they probably should. Testicular cancer is one example of this. Since April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, that makes it the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with this condition. Keep reading to learn more.
The American Cancer Society estimates that there are around 9,600 new cases of testicular cancer diagnosed each year. However, the rate of death from this disease is very low when compared to other types of cancer, as only about 440 people die from testicular cancer each year.
Often times, testicular cancer is thought of as a “young man’s disease.” That’s because the average age of testicular cancer diagnoses is 33. Comparatively, only 8% of testicular cancer cases occur in men over the age of 55.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should neglect testicular cancer entirely. Instead, it’s still a good idea to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of the disease so that you can seek out medical attention quickly if you encounter them.
There are several different symptoms that you can look for to identify whether you may have testicular cancer. The first is a painless lump or swelling on either testicle. This can start out small, but may quickly grow bigger. Similarly, a sudden buildup of fluid in the scrotum can be a sign of testicular cancer.
Other symptoms include:
If you have any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to consult with your physician as soon as possible. You may even be able to use your Medicare health insurance to pay for the consultation.
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The good news is that, unlike many other forms of cancer, testicular cancer has a very high rate of survival. In fact, 95% of all patients who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer are still living 5 years later. That number can increase or decrease based on the specific type of testicular cancer you have and how advanced it is.
Generally speaking, the treatment process focuses on surgically removing the cancer-infested testicle from the body. However, this may or may not be needed based on how severe your cancer diagnosis is.
Ultimately, the first step in dealing with testicular cancer is reaching out to a physician. That’s the only way you’re going to be able to get the personalized information that you need to figure out whether you have testicular cancer or not.
If you’d like to go in for a testicular cancer screening, then you’re probably interested in learning whether your Medicare health insurance will cover it. The general answer to this question is that yes, Medicare does provide coverage for testicular cancer surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
However, your specific coverages may vary. If you’d like to learn more, consider reaching out to a partnered licensed agent with Time for 65. You can get in touch with one today by filling out this form or giving us a call. We look forward to hearing from you.
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