Durban — The month of November is recognised as “International Men’s Month” and focuses on men’s health – physically and mentally. Men are perceived as often not sharing emotions and issues affecting their health as it is deemed “unmanly”. In acknowledgement of Men’s Month, the topic of testicular cancer is prevalent, as it is increasing in young men under 30.
Devon Hunter, 25, recently got diagnosed with testicular cancer. Due to his condition, his fiancée, Jordan Lishman, spoke on his behalf.
“He was initially diagnosed with testicular cancer two months ago.
“The signs were visible, but he had to wait a month for medical aid to activate. The anticipation and waiting has been tiresome and he is glad the operation is happening today (on Wednesday).
“Financially, it’s taxing as medical aid doesn’t cover everything. He was required to pay for check-ups. If there is any more cancer found after the removal, he would have to pay for chemotherapy. The operation cost R25 000 – and combined with the month of anticipation, it was playing on his mind. He was in denial and did not want to tell anybody. I only found out a few weeks ago because he did not want to admit it to himself.”
Lishman said: “He had lumps in his one testicle and it led to a suicide attempt. He asked the doctors about the lumps and they proceeded to do a full biopsy and diagnosed that he had stage 1 cancer.
“My advice to young men is to check for any lumps on the testicles and get them tested immediately because it is prevalent in young men.
“More and more men are being diagnosed with it and if you catch it early, it’s okay. Unfortunately with one testicle removed, his chances of being fertile have drastically decreased.”
Affinity Health focuses on providing health care and includes catering for prostate cancer.
“Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Many prostate cancers are slow-growing and limited to the prostate gland, where they may not cause significant harm. While some prostate cancers grow slowly and require little or no treatment, others are aggressive and spread rapidly.”
Although the risk is higher in older men, factors such as family history, race, and diet with high-fat content are relevant. The early signs of prostate cancer include unexplained weight loss, urine with blood and erectile dysfunction.
Race is a major risk factor for prostate cancer, with black African men having a 60% increased risk for prostate cancer. They’re also about 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease than other races.
“It is greatly recommended that men of African origin screen from the age of 40, and that other ethnic groups start from 45. Early detection is key and those with a family history of prostate cancer should be screened often,” said Malcolm Anthony, the chief executive at Urology Hospital.
Methods to treat prostate cancer include radiation, surgery and hormone therapy
Daily News