Testicular Cancer Linked To Mental Health Burden

Testicular Cancer Linked To Mental Health Burden

We are honest here at the Ball Report, especially when it comes to testicular cancer. We know that dealing with the disease can be difficult even after your oncologist has given you the all clear. The mental health burden that comes afterwards can be equally intense. We’ve spoken with numerous survivors who talk about grappling with potential loss of fertility and diminished feelings, and now a scientific study looks to quantify exactly how common those emotions are.

In the report printed in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers followed testicular cancer survivors for twelve years after the initial incidence of their disease, keeping tabs on their mental health and whether they sought help with it. Their findings were extremely clear: “Outpatient visits for a mental health concern were significantly higher among the testicular cancer population in both the peritreatment (adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 2.45) and post-treatment (aRR, 1.30) periods.” At more than double the rate in the peritreatment phase, that is a significant bump.

This study opens a bigger conversation in how surgeons and oncologists should fold in mental health care as early as possible with their testicular cancer patients. They need all the help and support they can get, both from family and community as well as specialists.

Read more at the Urology Times.