Factors associated with testicular self examination among unaffected men from multiple-case testicular cancer families. Free

B45

The lifetime risk of testicular cancer (TC) in the general population is relatively low (~1 in 300), but men with a family history of TC are 4 to 9 times more likely to develop TC. Some health and professional organizations recommend consideration of testicular self- examination (TSE) for certain high-risk groups (e.g., men with a family history of TC).Yet, little is known about factors associated with TSE behaviors in this at-risk group. These data were collected as part of an on-going NCI multidisciplinary, etiologically-focused, cross-sectional study of Familial Testicular Cancer. We report a sub-study focused on TSE behaviors among first- and second-degree relatives (n=75) of affected men from families with ≥2 TC cases. Demographic, medical, knowledge, health belief, and psychosocial factors consistent with the Health Belief Model (HBM) were evaluated as variables related to TSE behavior, using chi-square tests of heterogeneity for categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables. Of the 75 men in our sample, 70% (n=52) reported having performed TSE and 29% (n=22) reported never having performed TSE. Characteristics associated (p<.05) with performing TSE included: (1) younger age, (2) being a first-degree relative of a case, (3) more knowledge about TC, (4) greater perceived benefits of TSE, and (5) having a physician recommend TSE. This is among the first studies to examine TSE in unaffected men with a strong family history of TC. The findings provide additional support for the predictive validity of HBM variables, and suggest that, even in this high-risk setting, TSE practices are sub-optimal. Our data provide a basis for structuring an intervention aimed at improving TSE compliance.