Testicular cancer is considered to be a purely coincidental disease and, after three tumor diagnoses within a short space of time, makes the Bundesliga ponder. Ex-professional Marco Russ, who fell ill himself during his playing days, therefore wants a mandatory examination in football.
Professional football in Germany is discussing men’s health after tumors were discovered in the testicles of three Bundesliga professionals within a few months. Marco Russ, long-time central defender at Eintracht Frankfurt, therefore suggests that the players should also be examined for testicular cancer in the usual medical check-up in future. “It’s a matter of two minutes,” says the 36-year-old, who was diagnosed with the disease himself in 2016. After an operation and subsequent rehab, he returned to the pitch around nine months later. “Heart and lungs are tested, you could still join the testicles.”
Sébastien Haller was recently diagnosed with a tumor after the new signing from Borussia Dortmund complained of being unwell at the club’s training camp. In the meantime, the attacker has had an operation and has also sent a “thumbs up” photo from the hospital bed, but there is currently no time frame for possible follow-up treatments or even a comeback. The Frenchman, who was actually planned to succeed top scorer Erling Haaland, was only examined at the medical check-up in Dortmund a few weeks before the training camp.
“I would think it would be good to consider it,” Russ continues, “if that can’t be part of the standard medical check-up.” The ex-professional, who ended his active career in the summer of 2020, also refers to the blood count that is checked as part of these initial examinations: “You can also determine the tumor marker there. It’s definitely an option,” says Russ, because: “It can protect against bad consequences.” Before Haller, testicular tumors were also discovered in Marco Richter from Hertha BSC and Timo Baumgartl from 1. FC Union Berlin.
The fact that lifestyle factors apparently have no influence on the development of testicular cancer should also speak in favor of including the testicle examination in the medical check-up. At least that’s how Susanne Weg-Remers, head of the cancer information service at the German Cancer Research Center, explained it: “Testicular cancer is ultimately a disease that in the vast majority of cases occurs purely by chance, without there being any known risk factor.” A regular check is therefore recommended anyway – not only for football professionals.