More than a quarter of men do not check themselves for signs of testicular cancer, according to Aviva.
The research shows 28% of men never check their testicles for these signs.
While the same percentage claimed they check their testicles monthly, around one in 10 (12%) men said they did not think that there were any warning signs of testicular cancer. This misconception was highest in men aged 35-44 years (20%).
While three in five (57%) men knew what to look out for when checking their testicles, over a third (37%) of men said they did not know the symptoms of testicular cancer.
Over a third (38%) of those who were not aware of the symptoms, were aged between 25-34 years – the peak rate of testicular cancer occurs between the ages of 30-34 years.
When prompted, men were good at recognising the warning signs of testicular cancer, such as a painless swelling or lump in one of their testicles (57%), a change in shape or texture (47%) or a dull ache or sharp pain in the testicles or scrotum that may come and go (42%) and a difference in appearance between one testicle and another (40%).
Over a third (36%) of men said that an increase in the firmness of a testicle could be a potential warning sign of cancer and a third (33%) said that a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum could be a sign of testicular cancer.
