March and April are important months for men’s health. They serve as both Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, two serious observances focused on raising awareness, promoting early detection and supporting those affected by these conditions.
Let’s talk about men’s health
Men and those assigned as male at birth often find it difficult to talk about problems or seek medical advice when they notice something not being right with their reproductive organs. This might be because they feel awkward, embarrassed, or think they need to be tough and not complain. But keeping quiet about things like weird lumps, pain, or changes down there can be risky. It can mean that serious issues, like infections or even cancer, aren’t found and treated early. We need to make it okay for guys to talk about these things without feeling ashamed. If we can do that, and if guys know it’s important to get checked out, more people will get the help they need to stay healthy.
There are three cancers which affect only men: prostate, testicular and penile cancer. Understanding their symptoms is very important to know when one should seek medical advice or urge a loved one who is hesitating to speak to their doctor to do so.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and tends to affect the older generation with the risk increasing with age. It is most often found in men over the age of 50, with the highest rates found in men aged between 75-79. According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 55,100 new cases diagnosed in the UK every year with cases on the rise.
Research conducted by Prostate Cancer UK indicates that ethnicity plays a large part in risk of prostate cancer with black men being at a significantly higher risk. According to statistics, 1 in 4 black men will be diagnosed, compared to 1 in 8 white men, and 1 in 13 men of other ethnicities. New findings published by the charity show that a disproportionate number of black men get diagnosed late, when their cancer is stage 3 or 4 compared to men from other ethnic groups. One of the reasons suspected for this is that according to current guidelines GPs don’t start talking to male patients about the risks of prostate cancer before their 50th birthday whereas findings indicate that black men tend to present symptoms when they are younger. Those delays can allow this otherwise (in most cases) slow growing cancer enough time to develop to a more aggressive stage before it has a chance to be diagnosed. Most patients in early stages have no symptoms for years meaning that without pro-active testing they are likely to go undiagnosed. Important symptoms include urinating more frequently especially during the night, feeling urgency when needing to urinate, having difficulty starting to pee or straining or taking a long time to pee.
Research indicates that a potentially more accurate screening test for prostate cancer is being developed. The current standard test is a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels; elevated PSA can suggest cancer. However, the PSA test isn’t perfect, sometimes showing a risk when there isn’t one, and occasionally missing cancers altogether. This new saliva test works differently. Instead of looking for signs of existing cancer, it analyses a man’s DNA to identify those at higher risk of developing the disease. These high-risk individuals would then be referred for more thorough testing. Although still in the trial phase, early results are promising.
Testicular cancer
In comparison to prostate cancer testicular cancer tends to affect the younger generation between the ages of 25 and 40 and has an extremely good survival rate if it is found early and treated. It accounts for 1% of cancers in men which is relatively low, but also means that along with the age risk many men may not report symptoms or consider the possibility of having the disease. Symptoms can include a lump or swelling in one of the testicles, or aching, pain or heaviness in the scrotum. There are no known risk factors for testicular cancer other than Cryptorchidism, which is a condition where one or both testes have failed to descend into the scrotum in the first year of life. As with most cancers, genetics do play a part and there is a higher risk of the disease where there is a family history. Where a father has been diagnosed with the disease a son’s risk is 4-5 times higher. It increases even more if a brother is diagnosed, with the risk 8-9 times higher.
Penile cancer
Penile cancer is a rarer form of cancer. Like prostate cancer it typically affects people over the age of 50 but can of course affect those who are younger. Most cancers of the penis are caused by squamous cell cancers. Scale-like cells are found in the skin. Symptoms can include a growth or sore on the penis, changes in the colour of the skin, discharge or bleeding. The most common area for growths is under the foreskin in men who have not been circumcised. Genetics are not usually a factor in penile cancer, so men are not usually more at risk if there is a family history, but studies continue into this. Penile cancer is typically slow growing.
As with all cancers, the key to beating them is early diagnosis. The earlier you are diagnosed, the less likely the cancer is to have spread. Once the cancer spreads, your outlook is poorer, and the disease becomes harder to treat.
How can we help?
At Enable Law we have a specialist team supporting people whose lives have been affected by a delayed or missed cancer diagnosis. If you or a close family member has been diagnosed with cancer and feel it should have been investigated or diagnosed at an earlier stage, we can advise you. We have a dedicated phone line 0800 044 8488, as well as a dedicated email address: contact@enablelaw.com for you to get in touch with us. We are here to help you through this difficult time. All initial discussions are free of charge and completely confidential. We are here to help you understand what may have happened and explore ways to help you going forward.
