Man up this November!
November is designated as Men’s Health Awareness month by the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) and places the spotlight on the Big Five leading types of cancer affecting men. #MensHealth http://www.cansa.org.za/mens-health/
A balanced lifestyle and screening are essential in lowering the risk and recurrence of the disease, which currently afflicts one in seven men in South Africa during their lifetime.
The five leading cancers targeting South African men are prostate, colorectal, lung, Kaposi sarcoma (a type of skin cancer) and bladder. http://www.cansa.org.za/south-african-cancer-statistics/ While some disease risk factors cannot be controlled such as family history, age and race, others can be minimised by following a wholesome eating plan, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, avoiding alcohol intake as well as doing regular exercise. http://www.cansa.org.za/adopt-a-balanced-lifestyle/
Prostate cancer, the no. 1 cancer, affecting one in 18 men in our country, often develops without any symptoms in the early stages. However when the disease is advanced, symptoms are likely to occur that include – straining to pass urine, leaking urine, bloody urine, and bone pain. If prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the prognosis is often good.
CANSA recommends regular screening from 40 years and up, especially if there is any family history of cancer. Screening is undertaken with a blood test called the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test to detect any prostate abnormalities. (Available at all CANSA Care Centres – http://www.cansa.org.za/cansa-care-centres-contact-details/) #CANSAscreening
Jacob Skosana, prostate cancer survivor says, “Honestly, I wouldn’t on my own consult my GP and ask them to test me for cancer. It never dawned on me that I might have cancer. When the results came back following a blood test at a CANSA wellness day, they indicated that my PSA levels were high. I was immediately referred to a specialist who confirmed that I had prostate cancer. I’m grateful for the workplace wellness programme and thankful to CANSA.”
Currently underway are three CANSA research projects led by Dr Karl-Heinz Storbeck, Dr Serafin and Prof Bornman, that look for clinical markers of prostate cancer that can serve as an indicator of a specific biological state or condition. This research could assist in identifying prostate cancer earlier, as well as men more at risk for prostate cancer. #CANSAresearch
View the CANSA Powerpoint slideshow below:
Available for download:
Infographics: Prostate Cancer | Colorectal Cancer | Lung Cancer | Kaposi Sarcoma | Bladder Cancer