Reddit’s Pregnancy Test For Men

I’m sure like everyone who’s on the internet these days has, at one point or another, seen the article floating about. “Man took a pregnancy test as a joke” or something like that. This was a Reddit article that began making its rounds in 2012 if I remember correctly? The point of the article was that after taking a pregnancy test and the results being positive, this bloke went to his Dr to find out he had testicular cancer! I remember talking about it with a professor of mine from Uni when the article came out, surprisingly he had experimented with this theory himself. This particular professor had just found out he had Germ Cell Tumors, so already knowing he had cancer, he was curious if the test results would also indicate pregnancy. After peeing on a test stick, he also had positive results.

I saw the article floating around one of my social media platforms last night and got to thinking what others might be thinking of this article? If it worked for this guy, why not for everyone? This story seems very straight forward, but giving it a deeper look, a vast number of variables come into play with what cancers can be found through these pregnancy tests.

So What Is It That Causes This Positive Result On Pregnancy Tests?

First, you have to identify what chemical marker the pregnancy test is looking for. The answer Beta Human Chronic Gonadotrophin or HCG for short. HCG is a hormone that is rarely present in the body man or woman. HCG makes its appearance as rapidly growing cells begin to attach themselves somewhere they weren’t before. (Generally when an Embryo attaches itself to a uterus.)

These same rapidly growing cells are present in a number of cancers, but certainly not all or even the majority of cancers. The Cancers that produce identifiable HCG markers are all part of a grouping called Gestational Trophoblastic Disease or GTD. This cancer grouping is a type of cancer identified by its Tumor groupings and is most commonly found on Germ Cells. Germ Cells are the primary building block cells and are primarily found in the Ovaries and Testicles, but not limited to. Interestingly these same cells are found in cancers in the chest. Not all ovarian and testicular cancers fit into the GTD grouping either. Meaning some cancers in the ovaries and testicles may not produce any HCG or very low levels of HCG, and would not register on a urine pregnancy test.

There are specific blood tests that examine HCG levels and can identify these much easier through blood samples rather than urine. There are many many things that can affect the detectability of HCG in urine such as, prescription medications. There have also been a number of studies done where certain people (no identifiable marker for these people) whose Hepatic or liver systems produce antibodies that cover up the HCG markers making them undetectable through urine and make it harder to identify even through blood tests. So many variables have an effect on these specific tests, hard to rely on just one system.

It’s Probably Best Not To Rely On These Home Pregnancy Tests

With so many types and varying cancers out there, I think it’s probably best not to rely on these home pregnancy tests to rule out your fear of having cancer. There’s nothing wrong with trying to detect cancer at home with a pregnancy test kit, but please do not rely on this test alone. Even women can get false alarms with positive pregnancy test results. Even if these pregnancy tests could successfully test for Cancer every time it is only testing for a very small number of potential cancers. It would be like correctly answering the first page of a test and just not answering the rest.

The best strategy is to see a specialist. Have yourself examined for Testicular/Ovarian cancer or any kind of cancer, especially if it runs in your genes. It is also important to note that, prostate cancer can cause erection problems.

About the author: KrizPatrick BA(Hon) Psychology Human Sexuality