[apple_bee]

The other night me and my boyfriend were laying down when he said he wished he could tell me something, but he was to scared to because he knew that it would change everything between us, and that I would leave him. I assured him that I would never do that no matter what, and he was silent. Slowly he took my hand and guided it down to his testicals and made me feel lumps, I was kind of shocked and said what is that? And he replied with "somthing that is not supost to be there" I know he has been trying to tell me this for a long time because he's brought up his health many times but always leaves me at a dead end. I asked him to PLEASE see a doctor, I told him I'd even go with him if he wanted, but he said it was an uncomfertable topic and he doesn't want to. But he tells me that its cancer, and that he knows it is from self diagnosises, he also says that its to late now, and that he has known for a long time, that he's just going to let it kill him because its taking over his life anyway. Hes already gaven up hope, stopped going to school, doenst care about anything because he says he knows that he's sick. He says he's running low on energy. I don't want to bring it up first because I know he feels really sensitive about the topic. He could hardly tell me at the time so he had to guide me to it. But I know what I felt is not normal. Is it possible that he acutally does have cancer? Or is it likely to be something else? Please Ill take any ansers I can get because I really do love him and I'm scared, Im NOT going to leave him , I want to stay with him through all of this . We might only be 16 but we've been through a lot already. He tried telling his mom ( he also has one of these lumps on his neck) by showing her, but she just laughed and said he was worrying too much... and he was too embarrassed to tell her about the other lumps. I don't know what to do because he says only I know. Im scared

[J_9]

Oh boy, I have to say that self diagnosis is one of the most dangerous things we can do to ourselves. He is way too young to know even the beginning of what testicular cancer would and should feel like.

Now I am not discounting what he is feeling, nor what he is saying and/or experiencing. But what he is showing you could be nothing more than sebaceous cysts, which are VERY common among young men his age.

They could also be swollen lymph nodes which can be common with even the most ordinary common cold. Yes, we have lymph nodes that run the entire length of our bodies.

But for him to get the most accurate diagnosis, and self-diagnosis is not in any way shape or form accurate for a boy of 16, he must seek the advice of a doctor. He can see a male doctor, one who sees his own penis and testicles every day, this would be nothing new to this doctor.

Did you know that testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers if diagnosed in time? You know Lane Armstrong? The bicycle rider? He had testicular cancer and lives a very happy and healthy life today.

I answer questions here practically every day regarding teens and their health... penile cancer... lung cancer... breast cancer... even brain cancer, and so on. But you know what? There is 99.9% of the time another reason for their scare, usually nothing more than a virus or bacterial infection. Many of these can be cured with a simple course of antibiotics.

Let me ask you this... Did you feel the "lumps" on his testicle itself, or on the scrotal sac?

[Xrayman]

He needs to see a doctor-I doubt it is cancer-the worry and poor attitude is what's going to kill him! If it is cancer-they may remove one or both-so what? He will survive! I think as a woman you may need to tell him to get on with it-go to the doctor!

[Wondergirl]

There's an old saying, "A doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient." The same goes for, "A patient who treats himself has a fool for a doctor."

He must go to a doctor. Testicular cancer is extremely rare and the cure rate is very high. It usually involves one lump, not a bunch of them. The individual is usually in a great deal of pain.

How sad to obsess and ruin your life over something so easily checked out.