Survival for testicular cancer has risen by almost 30% in the last 40 years, with nearly all men now beating the disease, according to figures published by Cancer Research UK.
The analysis show that more than 96% of men now survive testicular cancer in the UK, compared with less than 70% in the 1970s. These improvements are largely thanks to the drug cisplatin, which CR-UK helped to develop.
Harpal Kumar, CR-UK’s chief executive, said that cisplatin “is helping almost all men with testicular cancer to beat the disease and is a shining example of what we can achieve through dedicated research”. He added that “for some types of cancer, the word ‘cure’ is almost a reality”, but “it’s important we recognise the 4% who aren’t surviving the disease, as well as the fact that we still need treatments to be kinder to patients in the future”.
Around 2,300 cases of testicular cancer are diagnosed each year in the UK and it is the most common cancer in men aged 15-49. Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at CR-UK, said the most common symptom is a lump or swelling in one of the testicles and although most lumps will not turn out to be cancer, “it’s important you get symptoms checked out as early as possible”.
