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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffEach man comes to terms with his testicular cancer and deals with the ensuing emotions in his own way. You may feel scared and unsure of your future after your diagnosis. While feelings of anxiety may never go away, you can create a plan to help manage your emotions. Try to:
- Learn enough about testicular cancer to feel comfortable making decisions about your care. Write down questions and ask them at your next doctor's appointment. Ask your doctor or other members of your health care team to recommend reputable sources of further information. Good places to start include the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society. Each has a website and a telephone support line. Contact the National Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service at 800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237), or contact the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 (800-227-2345).
- Take care of yourself. Make healthy choices in your everyday life to prepare for cancer treatment. Eat a healthy diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Get plenty of rest so that you wake each morning feeling refreshed. Eliminate unnecessary stress so that you can concentrate on getting well. Try to exercise most days of the week. If you smoke, stop. Talk to your doctor about medications and other strategies to help you stop smoking.
- Connect with other cancer survivors. Find other testicular cancer survivors in your community or online. Contact the American Cancer Society for support groups in your area.
- Stay connected with loved ones. Your family and friends are just as concerned for your health as you are. They want to help, so don't turn down their offers to assist with transportation to appointments or with errands. Close friends and family will listen when you need someone to talk to or provide a distraction when you're feeling down.
References
- Ryan CJ, et al. Testicular cancer. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1713.
- Testicular cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
- Richie JP, et al. Neoplasms of the testis. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1445/0.html. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
- Testicular self examination (TSE). American Urological Association Foundation. http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=101. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
- Ilic D, et al. Screening for testicular cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2011;CD007853. http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews. Accessed Aug. 22, 2011.
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