Only about 13% of U.S. adults correctly reported that testicular cancer is most common among men younger than 40, according to the results of a survey.
The survey, commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), examined perceptions of testicular cancer.
“In my experience, a lot of men are surprised that testicular cancer is most common among young men,” said Shawn Dason, MD, Urologic Oncologist at the OSUCCC – James. “It’s something you're just not expecting in your twenties or thirties. A lot of young men’s focus might be on developing their career, their day-to-day life. That's a very different track of mind than perhaps your health.”
Sixty-five percent of survey respondents believed that evaluation for testicular cancer should be incorporated into annual exams after 40; in actuality, self-exams are actually most effective between the ages of 20 and 40, when testicular cancer is most common.
Six in 10 respondents (63%) identified that testicular cancer is frequently curable if caught early, and 54% acknowledged that monthly self-checks should be conducted.
“We are really fortunate in testicular cancer that the vast majority of patients are diagnosed at an early stage,” said Dr. Dason, who is also Associate Clinical Professor of Urology at Ohio State College of Medicine. “That means the vast majority of patients are actually diagnosed before the cancer has had an opportunity to spread to other parts of the body.”
Groups of respondents aged 18 to 49 were more likely to note that testicular cancer can affect fertility than older survey participants (68% vs 61%). However, younger adults were also more likely than all other age groups to incorrectly agree with the statement that testicular cancer symptoms are always painful (18%).
“Testicular cancer does not typically come with painful symptoms,” said Dr. Dason. “That’s why routine self-exams are so important to detect any lumps or changes to the testicle. If you feel something out of the ordinary, like a lump or bump, or if the testicle changes in size, call your doctor.”
The study was conducted between May 2 and May 5, 2025, and answered by 1,008 adult participants via web and telephone on the SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. All data were weighted to represent the target adult population in the United States.
