Cancer education matters: a report on testicular cancer knowledge, awareness, and self-examination practice among young Polish men

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the level of testicular cancer (TC) knowledge and awareness as well as the altitude and practice towards testicular self-examination (TSE) among Polish male high school and medical students. An original questionnaire survey was conducted in SE Poland with a representative sample of 1077 male students: 335 from high school and 742 medical students. The results indicate the knowledge about TC epidemiology and the awareness of risk factors responsible for the TC was low. The knowledge of the signs and symptoms of TC was significantly higher among the medical students, compared to the high school students. The level of education was associated with the awareness of methods for early detection and symptoms of TC. A satisfactory level of awareness of the TSE practice was exhibited only by the medical students. The main reason for not performing self-examination was the lack of knowledge and practical skills. The deficits of knowledge of TC in young men should motivate the education policy makers in Poland to implement education in the field of TC issues more widely in high schools. Moreover, cancer prevention modules and/or teaching methods should be improved in medical schools.

Figure 1

Young men's knowledge of the epidemiological statistics concerning testicular cancer; data are shown as a percentage of correct responses. * p ≤ 0.05; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001; Current statistics: incidence in Europe: 5.6 per 100,000; age group at risk: 15–44 years; mortality in Europe: 0.4 per 100,000; curability: more than 90% if detected at an early stage.

Figure 2

Young men's attitude towards testicular cancer self-examination; data are shown as a frequency of TSE.