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. 2022;106(10):1056-1060.
doi: 10.1159/000525854. Epub 2022 Jul 28.

Better Knowledge about Testicular Cancer Might Improve the Rate of Testicular (Self-)Examination: A Survey among 1,025 Medical Students in Germany

Cem Aksoy  1 , Andreas Ihrig  2 , Philipp Reimold  3 , Georgi Tosev  3 , Ruth Himmelsbach  3 , Jessica Jesser  4 , Güven Babayigit  1 , Johannes Huber  1
Affiliations

Better Knowledge about Testicular Cancer Might Improve the Rate of Testicular (Self-)Examination: A Survey among 1,025 Medical Students in Germany

Cem Aksoy et al. Urol Int. 2022.

Abstract

Introduction: Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common malignancy among young men. Public awareness of the disease and testicular (self-)examination (TSE) is low. This study aims to evaluate the awareness of German medical students on TC.

Methods: A 25-item questionnaire on TC was handed out during a medical student's football tournament in Germany. Data collection was anonymous.

Results: Questionnaires were answered by 573 (56%) female and 452 (44%) male medical students. Most students had gaps in their knowledge about TC: 483 (48%) students knew, the most common age at which TC occurs, and 413 (41%) knew its cure rate. Having dealt with TC during their studies was significantly associated with a better knowledge about TC (p = 0.001). These students also had a higher rate of TSE among male students (66% vs. 52%, p = 0.002). This also applies to examining the partner's testicles by female students (25% vs. 13%, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Even in a positively selected collective like medical students, the knowledge about TC is low. Better knowledge might improve the chance of detecting the disease early. Therefore, our joint project of urologists, patients, and supporters called Prevention and Advocacy of Testicular Education e.V. (PATE) works on rising public TC awareness in Germany.

Keywords: Awareness; Germany; Medical students; Testicular cancer; Testicular self-examination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Huber reports grants and nonfinancial support from Intuitive Surgical, Takeda, Janssen, and Coloplast outside the submitted work. Moreover, he is managing director of the Urological Foundation for Health. All other authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

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