logo
Men's health has been neglected for too long – prostate cancer is a case in point

Men's health has been neglected for too long – prostate cancer is a case in point

Telegraph3 days ago

Men's health has been neglected for far too long with devastating consequences. Globally, men's life expectancy lags five years behind women's. Men are significantly more likely to develop and die from cancer, heart disease, diabetes and tuberculosis. They are also at much greater risk of dying from suicide or an accident on the roads or at work.
Most senior health decision-makers may be male but this has not stopped men's needs being largely absent from global and national health policy. Only a handful of countries have developed dedicated men's health policies and this is felt on the ground.
For example, when Global Action on Men's Health analysed global and regional policies on sexual and reproductive health, just 16 per cent specifically addressed men's needs. A similar review of policies on primary healthcare found that just seven per cent took explicit account of men.
The barriers that prevent many men using GP services – limited opening hours, user-unfriendly appointment booking systems, an absence of men's health information in waiting rooms – have not been addressed. The inevitable consequence: too many men are diagnosed and treated too late.
Prostate cancer is one of the many men's health issues in urgent need of attention. There have been major advances in treatment over the past 20-30 years but there are still too many blind spots.
Why do so many men, especially in lower-income countries, lack basic information about the disease? How is it that so little is known about how to prevent prostate cancer? Why are so many men, especially Black men and others at higher risk for genetic reasons, diagnosed when their cancers are already advanced? And why is prostate cancer absent from many countries' national cancer plans?
You may not hear much about it but prostate cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in 112 countries. The global incidence of the disease is expected to double by 2040 to almost three million new cases a year – and the mortality rate will increase by 85 per cent.
These statistics are not just alarming, they are unacceptable. Every effort must be made to slow down and reverse the trend in order to prevent unnecessary suffering among men and their families.
This is why Global Action on Men's Health is using the platform provided by International Men's Health Week (9-15 June) to call on the World Health Organisation to introduce a Global Prostate Cancer Initiative which covers every stage of the prostate cancer pathway from prevention to palliative care.
This new Global Initiative must include:
National governments being urged to introduce prostate cancer policies or national cancer plans which specifically address prostate cancer
Education and awareness campaigns to provide more accurate information and tackle the stigma many men feel about prostate health
Early diagnosis is essential. Because early-stage prostate cancer is usually symptomless, as many countries as possible should start planning the introduction of organised national screening programmes. Screening could reduce prostate cancer death rates by 35 per cent
There must be a focus on men at highest risk of poor prostate cancer outcomes, particularly Black men, men with a family history of the disease and men from lower socio-economic groups
Men with prostate cancer need quick and free (or at least affordable) access to all effective treatment options as well as psychosocial support
Investments in research, infrastructure, workforce development and treatments are required, especially in lower-income countries where prostate cancer mortality rates are disproportionately high
Alongside a global effort to address the looming crisis of prostate cancer, action is also needed on other key men's health issues. Increasing men's use of primary care is vital. Men's uptake of screening for hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and bowel and lung cancers must also be improved.
More health services delivered to where men are – workplaces, fitness and sports venues, places of worship – would help. Men can feel more comfortable and be more receptive in these places than in health clinics.
Men's health literacy can be improved through more targeted information about how to reduce health risks, the red flag symptoms to look out for, and where and how men can get help if they need to.
Men's risk-taking behaviours – smoking, heavy drinking, poor diets – have not been tackled with male-targeted health promotion. Contrast the usually staid approach of healthcare providers with that of commercial advertisers who have long known how to sell men cars and beer.
It is time to put men's health on global and national health agendas. And prostate cancer would not be a bad place to start.
www.gamh.org.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Voice of ITV's The Cube Colin McFarlane saved my life
Voice of ITV's The Cube Colin McFarlane saved my life

BBC News

time6 hours ago

  • BBC News

Voice of ITV's The Cube Colin McFarlane saved my life

A theatre director has thanked actor Colin McFarlane for saving his life after talking about prostate Lincolnshire-based actor, who has appeared in The Dark Knight and Doctor Who, announced he had prostate cancer on the BBC Breakfast sofa in June 2023. Femi Elufowoju Jr, a friend and colleague, said hearing McFarlane's story encouraged him to get checked, which led him to also being an interview alongside McFarlane, Elufowoju said: "This man here has literally saved my life and I wouldn't be sitting here today if I hadn't seen that item on television." The British-Nigerian director, who was awarded an OBE for his services to drama, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December said he had returned from visiting his father, who was ill in Nigeria, when he saw McFarlane announcing his diagnosis on BBC Breakfast."I just knew that I needed to make it my next appointment as early as possible because up to that point I had no intention whatsoever," he said."If I hadn't seen Colin, it would've got to a stage where it would've been too late." Elufowoju, who has worked with McFarlane many times, said he was going for blood tests every three months and was getting an MRI every six months."There was a sense of optimism from the get go that we have caught it early and that we are going to manage this," the director to charity Prostate Cancer UK, one in eight men are affected by prostate cancer. For black men, the risk doubles to one in said: "I'm really lucky I caught it early, so I thought if I'm lucky and I know so much about this, I need to try and share this knowledge."The actor, who is also the voice of ITV's The Cube, said he was now going for blood tests every three months and had an MRI once a year. "The satisfaction you get from someone like Femi coming to you saying 'you've literally saved my life'... that's what drives me," he said. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Mum, 32, had common exercise injury...but it was actually aggressive cancer that's left her with just weeks left to live
Mum, 32, had common exercise injury...but it was actually aggressive cancer that's left her with just weeks left to live

Daily Mail​

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Mum, 32, had common exercise injury...but it was actually aggressive cancer that's left her with just weeks left to live

A mother-of-one with just weeks to live has warned women not to dismiss the potential early signs of breast cancer, after mistaking a symptom of the killer disease for a common injury. Lisa Foster, 32, from Hampshire, went to her GP after discovering a pea-sized lump in her left breast which she initially thought was from exercising too rigorously in June 2023. But, when the lump hadn't gone down a week later, Ms Foster was referred to hospital for further tests. There a biopsy confirmed she had stage three triple-negative ductal sarcoma. According to Breast Cancer Now, this type of breast cancer is a rare but more aggressive and harder to treat form of the disease. Mrs Foster was told that she would need a mastectomy to remove her breast and a range of intense therapies in a bid to treat her cancer. After months of treatment Mrs Foster was set to undergo another scan to see if she was well enough to start radiotherapy––which uses high energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells. But shortly after the family were given the devastating the news the disease had spread to other parts of her body and was now in the advanced final stages. Breast cancer is the UK's most common cancer with almost 56,000 cases diagnosed per year 'She wasn't well enough––the cancer had spread to her chest wall, her right breast and her liver,' her husband Adam, 31, recalled. 'We were told she was now stage four.' Only about one in four women with stage four breast cancer are expected to survive for five years or more following their diagnosis. While incurable, stage four breast cancer can still be treated and this can extend a patient's life for months, and even years. Unfortunately, despite trying four different treatments, including a drug trial, Mrs Foster was told this month that her next round of chemotherapy has just a 9 per cent chance of working. Medics have now said she has only about 'two weeks' to live. In a heartbreaking post on social media, she wrote: 'Unfortunately, my liver is failing me and I'm not sure how long I have got left to live.' She added: 'The cancer hasn't won the fight. It dies with me and I will fight for as long as I can.' Speaking today, Mr Foster said the family wanted to highlight Lisa's story in an attempt to help other women and urge them to check their breasts regularly for any changes. 'We want people to know that cancer can affect anyone at any age––Lisa is a young mum who thought she just had a gym injury.' 'We are all devastated,' he added said. 'She is such a kind-hearted person, and the world's going to be a bit darker without her. 'Lisa and I have been together a long time––we met when we were 15. 'I don't want to imagine what things will be like when she's gone.' Her friend Becky Bailey has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the cost of the funeral, which has already raised almost £5,000. Paying tribute to Mrs Foster she said: 'It just goes to show that Lisa has touched the lives of every single person she's met. 'She is bubbly, funny, such a ray of sunshine, even her oncologist would book her appointments at the end of the day in case they needed cheering up.' Mrs Foster is one of an estimated 61,000 women in the UK living with secondary breast cancer, a figure that's been rising year on year. An estimated 1,000 patients die from the disease every month in Britain—the equivalent of one death every 45 minutes. Survival rates for the cancer depend on what stage it is diagnosed, but, overall, three out of four women are alive a decade after their diagnosis, with survival rates having doubled in the last 50 years alone. Mrs Foster's plea comes as millions of women in England could soon be offered breast cancer checks as young 30-years-old. Currently all women are aged between 50 and 70 are invited for screening every three years, with the first invitation between the age of 50 and 53. But every year, more than 10,000 British women who are too young to be offered a check are diagnosed with the disease, with 2,000 deaths among those below the age of 50. Now, a groundbreaking new trial has found almost one in five women tested in their thirties have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Dr Sacha Howell, a consultant at the world-renowned Christie hospital in Manchester who led the study, said all women should now undergo a 'comprehensive risk assessment' from the age of 30. One in seven women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime with around 56,000 cases a year—making it the most common cancer in the UK. The figure stands at roughly 300,000 annually in the US. Overall, around 85 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive more than five years. Whilst anyone can develop breast cancer, it is not always clear what causes it. Women over the age of 50, who have dense breast tissue, have breast disease or have family members who have had breast or ovarian cancer, are at a higher risk of the disease. To help catch cancer early, the NHS advises going for breast screening to help reduce the risk of the disease becoming fatal. Making lifestyle changes such as cutting down on alcohol, losing weight if you're overweight or obese, and quitting smoking will all lower your chance of getting breast cancer. Women are also encouraged to check their breasts regularly for potential signs of the cancer. These include a lump, or swelling in the breast, chest or armpit, a change in the skin of the breast, such as dimpling or redness and a change in size or shape of one or both breasts. Nipple discharge with blood, a change in the shape or appearance of the nipple and continuous pain in the breast or armpit are also signs of the deadly disease. While these are not always a cause for concern, anyone who experiences these symptoms is advised to consult their GP.

Peanuts or almonds? Rice or millet? Planet-friendly grocery shopping choices go beyond cutting meat
Peanuts or almonds? Rice or millet? Planet-friendly grocery shopping choices go beyond cutting meat

The Independent

time8 hours ago

  • The Independent

Peanuts or almonds? Rice or millet? Planet-friendly grocery shopping choices go beyond cutting meat

It's one of the most impactful climate decisions we make, and we make it multiple times a day. The U.N. estimates about a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of climate change, come from food. That pollution can come from several links in the food supply chain: how farmland is treated, how crops are grown, how food is processed and how it's ultimately transported. Maybe you've already heard the short answer to minimizing your diet's impact on the planet: eat more plants and fewer animals. The data backs up that suggestion. Emissions from meat-rich diets are four times higher than that of vegan diets. But so much focus on meats overshadows many other food choices that also impact the environment and can contribute to global warming. Here is a look at other important grocery store decisions: Proteins Swapping one serving of chicken per day for beef cuts a diet's emissions nearly in half. Ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats are the top drivers of emissions. Those animals "are associated not only with nitrous oxide emissions, but they're also related to direct methane emissions because they burp them up while they digest food,' said Marco Springmann, professorial research fellow in climate change, food systems and health at University College London. Springmann said processed animal products have a higher impact on the planet, too: 'You need 10 times the amount of milk to make one unit of cheese.' So — and this is true of most food groups — the less processed the food, the smaller the environmental impact. Plant-based proteins like legumes, beans and nuts all boast a much lower climate impact. Grains The standout here is rice, and not in a good way. ' Rice uses a ton of water. It uses gobs of fertilizer. There's flooded rice paddy fields, and that water actually breeds all kinds of bacteria, and those bacteria produce methane gas,' said eco-dietitian nutritionist Mary Purdy. Purdy said the most planet-friendly alternative is just eating a bunch of different grains. 'The wheat, corn and soy world is very, very familiar to us because we've been seeing it. It's been heavily marketed. When was the last time you saw a commercial for millet or buckwheat?" she asked. Diverse diets, Purdy said, incentivize biodiverse agriculture, which is more resilient to erratic weather — a hallmark of climate change — and makes healthier soil. Fruits and vegetables When it comes to produce, minimizing impact is less about choosing between foods and more about buying based on the way that food was grown. Conventionally grown produce 'very likely is using pesticides, fertilizer, and maybe more water because the soil isn't healthy,' said Purdy. Purdy said organic labels, such as Regenerative Organic Certified, indicate those foods had a smaller climate impact when they were grown. The tradeoff is that organic food has a lower yield, so it requires more land use and is often more expensive. Local and 'in season' foods also have a smaller climate impact, but not just for one of the reasons you may be thinking of: emissions from international shipping. Every day, thousands of large ships transport goods, including produce, around the world, and the fuel they use is heavily polluting. However, "it's mostly those local emissions on trucks that are actually impactful, not the international shipping emissions," Springmann said. Also, food grown nearby tends to be grown in a way that fits with the local climate and is less harmful to the environment. "We're not trying to grow oranges in some place in a greenhouse,' Purdy said. Butter and oil Plants win out over animals, again. Vegetable oils are less impactful than butter or lard. Springmann also said tropical oils are healthiest in moderation, such as those from coconuts or palms, because they have a higher fat content. Plus, palm oil is associated with deforestation. As for nut butters, almonds might be a great option for limiting carbon emissions, but they require a lot of water. One study out of Tulane University found that a serving of peanuts has an emissions footprint similar to almonds but 30% less impact on water use. Don't waste food Throwing less food away might sound obvious, but roughly a third of food grown in the U.S. is wasted. Meal planning, freezing leftovers and checking the fridge before heading to the grocery store all help cut waste. 'The climate impact, the embedded water use, all of the labor and different aspects that went into producing that food, that all gets wasted if we don't eat it,' Blackstone said. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store