Feel your testicles, watch your prostate: November is male cancer awareness month

When it comes to cancer, awareness is always the first weapon. Detected early, it allows you to avoid heavy treatments. In the case of male cancers (prostate, testicles), “the subject is not easy because there are no particular lifestyle recommendations to prevent them; alcohol and tobacco, which found in many pathologies, are not determining elements in the development of these tumors”, says Professor Michel Soulié, urological surgeon, coordinator of the urology department of the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Toulouse. And, although there is organized screening for breast and uterine cancers for women, this is not the case for prostate cancer, the most common of male cancers (nearly 60,000 new cases per year).

“Men often confuse prostate adenoma, or enlarged prostate, with prostate cancer. In the first case, it is an enlargement of the prostate, a pathology linked to aging, which concerns a man out of two after the age of 50 and which manifests itself in particular by urinary discomfort, prostate cancer does not cause any clinical signs when it starts”, summarizes Professor Michel Soulié. “But a man can absolutely know where he stands and take stock of his situation,” continues the surgeon.

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Value of PSA: “A signal that does not necessarily mean cancer”

For this, from the age of 50 (or earlier in cases of family history and certain genetic mutations), an examination with rectal examination and a PSA dosage are recommended. “But be careful, doing a PSA test (a specific prostate antigen detectable by a blood test) is not equivalent to screening. The PSA value can be a signal which does not necessarily mean that there is a disease The digital rectal examination will be able to establish the relationship – or not – with the volume of the prostate and decide whether it is necessary to carry out other investigations such as an MRI and, if doubt persists, a follow-up of these indicators. every three years allows us to remain alert. Today, urologists are more cautious about the surgical procedure, but they are careful not to miss the 20% to 30% of aggressive prostate cancers,” explains. Professor Michel Soulié.

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Young men: feel your testicles!

No systematic screening either for testicular cancer which concerns very young men (15-40 years) and less than 3000 cases per year in France. “For this rare cancer, we are rather in a position of raising awareness, recommending that young men self-palpate their testicles to detect a possible anomaly. Since the 1980s, 95% of this tumor has been cured. it is the best score for all cancers, men and women combined,” concludes the urological surgeon.