The UK has the highest rate of testicular cancer awareness in Europe, a new Cancer Research UK study has shown.

The number of young British men who say that they regularly check for signs of testicular cancer more than tripled in a decade, the research claims.

Just ten per cent of young men said that they regularly self-examined in 1990, rising to more than 36 per cent in 2000.

Including Irish men, awareness was double the EU average. The average increase in self-examination across the EU over the decade was from 13 to 18 per cent.

"Men have a bad reputation for taking care of themselves in medical matters but this shows real progress which we need to build on," said Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK.

"The study shows that young men in the UK are more likely than other European men to check their testicles for any lumps or signs of cancer. This means that early detection and prompt treatment gives them the best possible chance of making a full recovery."

Testicular cancer is one of the few cancers that particularly affect young men. While it remains rare, rates are increasing, with around 2,000 young men in the UK diagnosed annually. Almost 98 per cent make a full recovery, however.