Why women should also care about prostate and testicular cancer

Often men blow things off until someone else mentions them. Especially when it comes to their bodies. Our loved ones pay attention more than we think they do, and often notice those things we think we’re hiding.

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) has noticed a concerning increase in late-stage cancer in men. We believe that if we tag team the information and awareness about diseases such as testicular and prostate cancer, they can be detected quicker and more lives can be saved.

We all know what it’s called, but what exactly does cancer do to the body?
Simply put, cancer is the development of abnormal cells in the body. These abnormal cells can disrupt and corrupt normal body tissue. Sometimes these abnormal cells form tissue and lumps that are called tumours.

What causes cancer and how can you prevent it?
Unfortunately, there is still no concrete answer as to what causes this abnormal development of cells. This means that there is no real way to prevent it. What we do know for now is that family history is an important contributing factor, which means early detection and treatment is as close to a cure as medicine can give.

Talk to your man

Many cancers don’t present distinct symptoms, which is why it’s important to get tested regularly to catch it early. It doesn’t help that many illnesses seem to share symptoms that can also easily be dismissed as stress, fatigue or flu.

Three of the most unnoticeable symptoms of testicular cancer are:

• A decrease in libido,
• An increase in peeing at night, and
• Back pain

There are also other symptoms such as bigger breasts or breast tenderness, pain in the scrotum, or a dull aching pain in the abdomen.

You might have noticed that he’s been different for a while now, but you can’t quite put your finger on why. Have a chat with him, schedule an appointment at the doctor for him and nip this in the bud. His ego might be fragile, but so is his body.

Chat to your son

As your son grows and enters puberty, any conversation about his body and its changes can seem daunting. So he might find it embarrassing to share if he notices a pain in his genitals until it becomes a little more than what he can handle.

You might notice that he takes a deep breath when he sits down, or that he’s walking a little differently, and this has been going on longer than if he’d got an injury playing sports. He might start filling out in the chest, something he might attribute to weight gain or puberty.

A self-examination poster can act as an ice breaker, or you could ask a male relative he’s close to, to chat to him about self-examination.

The best way to look out for testicular and prostate cancer in your children is by scheduling annual check-ups with his doctor, especially if you have a family history of cancer.

It’s especially hard to see something as an outsider because men, and boys, are really good at hiding pain in their groin area.

We’ve got your back

You could always encourage the men in your life to take part in the #DaredevilRun2020 on 13 March 2020. It’s a young 5km run at Zoolake to raise funds and awareness about prostate and testicular cancer.

They can also get tested on site before the run, and have a great time as part of the battalion fighting for men’s health.

The entry fee is R100, admin fee is R10, and speedos cost R50. We get that balls are a touchy subject, but they’re important and should be taken care of.