Final answer:
The nurse should first ask about the patient's priority needs before providing further assistance regarding testicular cancer, which includes getting more information or arranging support for the patient and their family. Testicular cancer is most common in males between the ages of 20 and 39 and is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early.
Step-by-step explanation:
When encountering a young male patient diagnosed with testicular cancer, the first step a nurse should take is to ask about the patient's priority needs. It's essential to understand the patient’s concerns and needs to provide tailored care and support. After establishing the patient's priorities, the nurse can then provide relevant information about the diagnosis and potential treatments. Testicular cancer is most often detected through noticeable signs such as a lump in a testis, which then leads to further diagnostic testing like ultrasounds, blood tests, and CT scans to confirm the presence of cancer and to check for the spread of the disease.
Treatment typically involves the surgical removal of the affected testis. Despite this, male reproductive functions can still be maintained with the healthy remaining testis. In cases where the disease is caught early and the surgery is successful, the prognosis is very favorable with high five-year survival rates. The need for additional treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy depends on whether cancer cells have spread beyond the affected testis.
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 20 and 39 years, and the highest identified risk factor is of European ancestry.