When Reddit user CappnPoopDeck posted a cartoon of her male friend’s positive pregnancy test in 2012, she was simply trying to find humor in the bizarre situation.
But things took a turn when one user replied: “If this is true, you should check yourself for testicular cancer. Seriously. Google it.”
Another wrote: "You may have testicular cancer! Get to an oncologist, tell them you took a pregnancy test and it came out positive.”
As it turned out, these users probably saved her friend’s life.
The Reddit user followed up the initial post and said that her friend listened to the advice and went for a checkup. Doctors found a small tumor at the early stages.
Pregnancy tests check for the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which is produced when a woman is expecting. The hormone is also present with some forms of cancer, including testicular.
This type of cancer is rare, with only 5.4 cases per 100,000 men annually, according to WebMD. And more than 90 percent of men diagnosed will be cured regardless of the stage.
These stories are based on posts found on Reddit. Reddit is a user-generated social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website where registered members submit content to the site and can up- or down-vote the content. The accuracy and authenticity of each story cannot be confirmed by our staff.
