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Less known than Pink October, the month of November “Movember” is dedicated to men’s health: prostate problems, but also testicular cancer screening. The Arc Foundation has teamed up with Nicky Doll, drag queen star of the show Drag Race France, to promote good prevention actions, through a humorous campaign broadcast on the social network TikTok.
“Feel your disco balls!“. This is the slogan of the new campaign intended to raise awareness among the general public about testicular cancer screening. Indeed, each year, 3,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed in young men.
The most common cancer among 15-35 year olds
Testicular cancer generally progresses silently, without symptoms, and will often only be discovered incidentally, by the person themselves, through self-palpation.
It is precisely this gesture that is highlighted, in a humorous way by Nicky Doll, drag queen icon, who invites all people (men themselves but also women during an intimate relationship) to feel their testicles or those of their spouse. A procedure that can help detect a lump, testicular cancer being the most common among 15-35 year olds. And above all allow early treatment, which will allow it to be cured in almost 100% of cases.
This humorous campaign reminds us of the importance of self-examination of the bursae, starting in adolescence. Indeed, from the age of 13 or 14, boys must have the reflex of regularly palpating their testicles, in order to detect a possible lump.
The right time to do this is after a shower, as the skin will be relaxed and the testicles will be easier to handle. It is necessary, as for self-palpation of the breasts in women, to use a mirror, examining the testicles one after the other, rolling them between the thumb and fingers, the latter being placed under the testicle and the thumb above. As with female breasts, one testicle may be larger than the other, and this is normal.
During self-palpation, it is possible to feel on the top of each testicle the epididymis, which is the channel through which sperm circulate. If while carrying out this procedure, you detect a mass, you must speak to your doctor, so that he can carry out the palpation in turn and prescribe the tests he deems necessary.
As Nicky Doll concludes in this offbeat TikTok campaign: “If you feel a lump, no panic! The party is not spoiled, I promise: go to your doctor for a check-up, he will be able to help you!“.
Testicular cancer: prevention campaigns often “ballsy”
Campaigns to promote testicular cancer screening often use humor. We remember the Canadian campaign on “Le monde des Cuys”.
Or more soberly the real “Film de boules” from Movember France:
Or more explicitly, the mobilization of British top model Rhian Sugden in 2011 by the Male Cancer Awareness association.
When it comes to testicular cancer, diagnosis is essential. The earlier the pathology is detected, the more chance the patient has of recovery, in particular by taking less heavy treatment. Testicular cancer does not systematically cause specific symptoms, but it is often revealed by the presence of a hard mass located in the testicle, hence the importance of palpation and self-palpation.