This week I would like to share some important information about Prostate Cancer and Men’s Health Awareness. In 2022, an estimated 268,490 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Worldwide, an estimated 1,414,259 people were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. Prostate Cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.
With the month of November being National Men’s Health Awareness Month, various efforts to create a defense for men’s health, for example, Movember and No-Shave November. This month specifically raises awareness and support of those facing prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health issues.
What is “Movember and No-Shave November”?
• No-Shave November and Movember, movements were created to encourage conversations about cancer awareness among men
• The events encourage participants to put down their trimmers for 30 days and think about donating their monthly hair-maintenance expenses to the cause
• Many cancer patients lose their hair during diagnosis and treatment, and one way to show empathy and support is to grow awareness while growing mustaches, beards, and full heads of hair
The Facts About Prostate Cancer
• Only men have a prostate gland. The prostate gland is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube men urinate and ejaculate through. Its main job is to help make semen, the fluid that carries sperm
• Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells in the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than normal, resulting in a tumor. Prostate cancer often grows slowly to start with and may never cause any problems. But some men have prostate cancer that is more likely to spread. These prostate cancer cells, if left untreated, may spread from the prostate, and invade distant parts of the body, particularly the lymph nodes and bones, producing secondary tumors in a process known as metastasis.
Other Information and Facts:
Men’s Mental Health
• Men often have more difficulty handling stress than women
• Typically, women seek a larger support system and social network to confide in with personal struggles as opposed to men
Men’s Physical Health
Preventive care. The following health checks could save a life:
1) Get an annual exam by a primary care provider, including blood pressure and height/weight
2) Annually screen for testicular cancer, including monthly self-exams
3) Get cholesterol testing every five years
4) Screen for diabetes, thyroid disease, liver problems and anemia
Source of Information: Various Google Searches
Until Next Week, Stay Safe and Well!