Despite the common misconception that it is an older man's disease, testicular cancer is most prevalent among men aged between 20 and 40.
A survey, commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Centre – Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC James) – focused on Americans’ perceptions of testicular cancer, with the results suggesting more can be done to educate the public about a disease that affects nearly 10 000 adults in the United States each year.
The survey found that only 13% of adults, or just more than one in 10, correctly identified testicular cancer as most commonly affecting men under 40. This is significant, as the disease is most prevalent among men aged between 20 and 40.
Additionally, two-thirds (65%) of respondents believe an evaluation should be part of an annual exam after 40. However, cancer experts note that self-exams are most relevant between 20 and 40.
“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 20s or 30s.”
Survey results
In the survey of 1 008 respondents aged 18 and older, six in 10 (63%) correctly identified that testicular cancer is often curable if caught early, and just more than half (54%) correctly said monthly self-checks should be conducted.
“We are fortunate in testicular cancer that most patients are diagnosed at an early stage,” said Dason, also an associate clinical professor of urology at Ohio State College of Medicine.
“That means they are actually diagnosed before the cancer has had an opportunity to spread to other parts of the body.”
Younger Americans, aged 18-29, and adults aged 30-49, were more likely than their older counterparts to say that testicular cancer affects fertility (68% and 61%, respectively).
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 Dason. “That’s why routine self-exams are so important to detect any lumps or changes to the testicle.”
Survey methodology
The survey was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was from 2-5 May 2025, among a sample of 1 008 respondents.
The survey was conducted via web (n=978) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of US adults aged 18 or older.
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