The Everyman Male Cancer Campaign are working to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancers - find out more
British men are neglecting their health because they believe they are invincible, according to survey results released today by the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign.
Almost 30 per cent of British men surveyed subscribe to an 'I'll be fine' attitude about their health which prevents them from seeing a doctor, while 28 per cent admit they simply do not have time to seek medical advice even when they know they should.
The survey also found that 39 per cent of British men hadn't been to the doctor at all in the last year which is almost twice the number of women at 22 per cent. The poll showed that the average number of visits to a doctor for a woman is 2.3 a year compared with 1.9 for men.
Male Cancer Awareness Month
The findings coincide with the launch of the 12th annual Everyman Male Cancer Awareness month in June.
Everyman aims to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancers which together affect 36,000 men in the UK each year.
Prostate cancer kills 10,000 men in the UK each year which is one man every hour, while testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15-44. However, testicular cancer has a 99 per cent cure rate if caught early enough so awareness really does make a huge difference.
This year, Everyman is calling on people to Turn Blue for male cancer and raise money to fund vital research at the Everyman Centre – Europe's only dedicated male cancer research centre. To find out more, click on the link above. www.everyman-campaign.org.
Testicular cancer
- Testicular cancer develops from within the cells in the testes. It usually presents itself as a lump in the testicle. Regular self examination can help to detect this cancer at an early stage. If the cancer is not treated at an early stage, cancer cells can break away and spread to nearby lymph nodes or other organs.
- If a lump or change in the testicles is identified, a GP will arrange for a diagnostic test to indicate if the lump is benign or a possible cancerous tumour. Most lumps are not cancerous but it is important to get yourself checked out by your GP to be sure.
- Testicular cancer is diagnosed more frequently in the young and middle-aged than in elderly men. It is most common in men aged between 15-44.
- Inherited genetic factors are important in testicular cancer. Having a father, brother or son who has had testicular cancer increases the risk of getting the disease.
- Having had testicular cancer before increases the risk of developing cancer in the other testicle. However, cancer in both testicles is extremely rare.
- We do not know enough about what causes testicular cancer to occur or how to prevent it. Everyman is carrying out the research to find the answers.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Regular self-examination will help you become more aware of the normal feel and size of your testicles so that any abnormalities can be spotted early on.
- A lump in either testicle
- Any enlargement of the testicle
- A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- A dull ache in the abdomen or groin
- A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
- Growth or tenderness of the upper chest
If you do have any of these symptoms, don't just wait and hope that they disappear - go and get checked out by your doctor. Most lumps are not cancerous but the earlier you find out, the earlier you can get any necessary treatment.
And remember - if caught early, testicular cancer is 99% curable.
Prostate cancer
- Prostate cancer differs from most other cancers in the body, because small areas of cancer within the prostate are very common and may stay dormant for many years. In a small proportion of men, the prostate cancer does grow more quickly and in some cases may spread to other parts of the body, particularly the bones.The majority of men with prostate cancer are aged over 60 years and the disease is very rare in men under 50.
- Men with a brother or father who developed prostate cancer at a young age have an increased risk. Men with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer also have an increased risk.
- Possible risk factors include obesity, high fat consumption and low green vegetable consumption as well as exposure to radioactive substances. In most cases, we simply do not know what causes prostate cancer or how to prevent it. Little is known about the detailed or molecular mechanism of prostate cancer development.
Signs and symptoms
- Having to rush to the toilet to pass urine
- Passing urine more often
- Difficulty getting the flow of urine started
- Starting and stopping whilst passing urine
- Discomfort (pain or burning) whilst passing urine
- A feeling of not having emptied the bladder fully
- Dribbling of urine
- Blood in urine or semen
- Pain or stiffness in the back, hips or pelvis
The prostate enlarges as men get older, and most men have some symptoms affecting urination.
These symptoms can be caused by other conditions that are less serious than prostate cancer, such as a non-cancerous enlarged prostate gland or a kidney infection.
However, it is vital that you do go and see your doctor as soon as possible if you are suffering from any of these symptoms so that the cause can be diagnosed and any relevant treatment administered.
One man dies every hour of prostate cancer and the disease affects one in eleven men - find out how to spot the symptoms
Ten thousand men die every year from prostate cancer in the UK, and cases of testicular cancer have doubled over the last 20 years.
On Wednesday, celebrities (including Pat Cash) will lead charity supporters in a walk across London in just their pants to raise awareness and highlight the issue.
Prostate cancer kills one man an hour in the UK but many men still don't know the risk factors or the symptoms.
Prostate cancer facts
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK
- 35,000 men are diagnosed with the cancer every year in the UK
- African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men
- 70 per cent of adults in the UK do not know what the prostate does
What is the prostate gland?
Only men have a prostate gland. The gland is roundish, and is the size and shape of a walnut. It is in the pelvis, at the base of the bladder. The gland surrounds the urethra (the tube through which you pass urine).
What does it do?
Its main job is to make some of the fluid of semen. Semen carries sperm and is the liquid that men ejaculate on orgasm.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Not all men get symptoms and not all men have exactly the same symptoms. The symptoms are usually problems urinating.
Symptoms
- frequent need to urinate, especially at night
- rushing to the toilet
- difficulty starting to urinate
- straining to pass urine
- taking a long time to urinate
- having a weak flow
- getting the feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly when you have finished urinating
- dribbling after urination is complete
- pain or discomfort on passing urine
- lower back pain
- pain in the pelvis, hips or thighs
- impotence
- blood in the urine – but this is rare
It is worth noting that these symptoms are often only present in more advanced cases of prostate cancer. It is also important to realise that any of these symptoms can be caused by problems which are nothing to do with prosate cancer.
So, if there are any concerns involving the prostate, a doctor's visit should be arranged as soon as possible.
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