⅔ of British men aged 18 to 34 don't know their testicular cancer risk

69% of men in the UK aged between 18 to 34 don't know that they are in the age group most at risk of getting testicular cancer, according to new research from leading global men's health charity, the Movember Foundation. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men with around 2,200 cases in the UK every year. The charity is now urging men in the at risk age group to carry out regular self checks as early diagnosis is key to successful treatment. Incidence rates are projected to rise by 12% in the UK between 2014 and 2035, to 10 cases per 100,000 males by 2035.

The Movember Foundation's Global Director of Testicular Cancer Sam Gledhill said:- "The fact that so many men are unaware that they are in the highest risk age group is very worrying. There's a widespread assumption that it's a disease that predominantly affects older men, but that's just not the case. Testicular cancer strikes early so checking regularly and knowing what to look for is crucial."

However, the poll of 1,093 British men conducted by YouGov, also found that 42% of men in the at risk age group (aged 18 to 34) didn't know or are unsure how to perform a testicular self examination. Sam Gledhill said:- "If you're a guy in your 20's or 30's, you should definitely be getting to know your testicles a little better. What they look like, what they feel like and what's normal for you down there. The shower is a great place to start because the warmth relaxes the scrotum, making the exam easier.  Around once a month, when you're in the shower, gently roll one testicle at a time between your thumb and fingers. If you notice any changes, don't panic, it doesn't necessarily mean you have cancer, but you should definitely get it checked out."

Testicular cancer will often present as a lump or pain in the testicle, an increase in size or a change in the way a testicle feels; although these symptoms can be vague or may not be the same for everyone. Those most at risk are men who had undescended testes at birth, or those with a relative who has diagnosed with testicular cancer. Although survival rates are high (over 95%), up to 1 in 20 cases are fatal. The Movember Foundation has pledged to halve the numbers of men dying from testicular cancer by 2030.  This April, #KnowThyNuts for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. For more information visit:- Movember.Com or Truenth-TC.Org.

Fantoosh or Fantysheeny? People from Southport scored lowest in the UK when tested on the Oxford Dictionary's new words

FEELING fantoosh or fantysheeny? Is your vocabulary list in need of sprucing up or are your language skills fairly eeksie-peeksie? More than 650 new words and phrases have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, in March 2019, but how many of them do we actually know the meaning of?

CV writing professionals, Purple CV, wanted to find out how Brits would score when tested on their vocab skills, and jargon in the workplace. They conducted a survey of 3,000 Brits and found that when tested on The Oxford English Dictionary's updated words, they achieved an average score of just 56%! Perhaps the good people of Southport should brush up on their vocabulary, as when compared across the UK, it was found that they scored the lowest on average at 50%. It seems that Scots are the most clued up, scoring 69% on average; the highest in the UK.

Purple CV also found that 53% of Brits have admitted to using a word in a sentence without knowing its true meaning. On a more uplifting note, however, 47% of respondents are constantly trying to improve and expand their vocabulary, showing a keen willingness to keep up with the times. The survey also asked British employees about how well they understand industry talk in their workplace. 33% admitted to using business jargon in an interview without fully understanding its meaning and 50% of respondents said they have sat through a work meeting without understanding the business jargon being used.

First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to job interviews. The study found that 77% of managers would be more likely to hire a candidate who uses a wide and varied vocabulary, and 81% of employers say that a job candidate using a word in the wrong sense is unforgivable. Interestingly, 55% of managers say they dislike slang or abbreviations being used in the workplace.

When broken down by industry, it was found that those in IT seem to know the least, with 68% admitting they don't always know what's cracking in meetings (and who can blame them; hands up if anyone knows what a Recursive Pyramid Algorithm is?!).

Other interesting stats to emerge from the survey include:-

►64% of people think people who use long, complicated words appear more intelligent.

► In fact, 33% of single Brits say they would be more attracted to somebody if they had an expansive vocabulary.

► 75% of British singletons also unashamedly admit that they would cancel a date if the other person repeatedly made grammatical errors in messages.

"It's important to know how to communicate effectively and appropriately in your field of work. Learning the language will help improve your application and interview skills and hopefully, get you hired!"  says Andrew Arkley from Purple CV.

Test your own vocab knowledge using Purple CV's fun, interactive quiz based on the latest additions to the Oxford English Dictionary on PurpleCV.