The Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends (Pasykaf) have declared this week “Male cancer awareness week”.
It is part of the association’s campaign to raise awareness and early detection of male cancer, in particular prostate, testicular and bladder cancers.
The association said that early detection and diagnosis leads to more effective and more successful treatment.
Men are encouraged to regularly examine their own testicles in order to be able to detect testicular cancer at the earliest opportunity and are advised that if they feel any hard or round masses, or changes to the shape or size of their testicles, they should immediately seek the advice of a urologist.
The association warned that some types of prostate cancer are particularly aggressive and can rapidly spread, and that for this reason early detection is key. Prostate cancer is detected via blood tests which measure the levels of prostate-specific antigen. This antigen exists among all males in small quantities, but an elevated level of the antigen is an indicator of prostate cancer.
In general, the main risk factors of cancer among males are advancing age, a family history of cancer, a diet heavy in animal fats and dairy products, as well as high levels of testosterone in the blood.