News: How a pregnancy test (and Reddit) saved one man’s life

Women aren’t the only ones who can benefit from taking a pregnancy test.

One Ontario man, who found a pregnancy test in his medicine cabinet (and for some strange reason, decided to take it) was surprised when the results were actually positive.

His friend, who found the whole ordeal hilarious, decided to post a ‘rage comic’ about his misadventure on the popular use-generated news site, Reddit.

While many users found the comic funny, some commented that a false positive on a pregnancy test could actually be an indicator of testicular cancer.

‘If this is true, you should check yourself for testicular cancer. Seriously. Google it,’ one commenter wrote.

Another commenter, a medical student, explained how a pregnancy test can predict cancer. ‘Medical student here. OP should absolutely see his physician to be safe. Pregnancy tests are based on levels of human chorionic gonadotropin which is produced by the placenta, but in a male it can be elevated by testicular cancer.’

Turns out, the commenters were right.

The man’s friend told him he should get tested. After he went to the doctor, she shared the results of his test in the form of another ‘rage comic.’

‘Many of you read the comic about my friend using a preg test and it testing positive, which is a sign of cancer, as you all told us,’ she wrote.

‘Today he went to the doctor to be tested. And in his right testicle they found a very small tumor, but since it was caught early, it can be treated immediately.’

She then thanked everyone on Reddit on behalf of her friend, and encouraged everyone to check themselves for cancer regularly.

-Katharine Watts, Associate Web Editor

Related:
‘ 10 ways to cut your cancer risk
‘ Top 5 mistakes men make about their health
‘ How to get men to visit the doctor