Testicular and prostate cancer: When should men have check-ups?
Content-Team SWICA
When moustaches of all sorts, from bristly or fluffy to twirled, start sprouting, you know it's "Movember" (fusion of "moustache" and "November") again. But the striking upper lip hair adorning men's faces this autumn month isn't just there for aesthetic reasons. The aim is to promote greater awareness of men's health. The fact is, men have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to their own wellbeing. And that has consequences: in Switzerland, men have a life expectancy of 81 years - four years lower than women.
One thing men should be paying attention to if they want to stay healthy is early detection of certain cancers is one.
Testicular cancer
Every year, roughly 500 men in Switzerland are diagnosed with testicular cancer. Given that this is the most common type of cancer in men under 40, testicular cancer clearly isn't something that just affects older men.
Men with undescended testicles or a history of testicular cancer in the family, especially those with a brother who have had it, are at increased risk of the disease.
How is testicular cancer detected?
Testicular cancer can be detected early on. The main signs are an often painless enlargement, swelling or hardening of the testicle. To detect it early, men are recommended to perform a self-examination at least every six months from the age of 27 onwards. The best way to examine the testicles is after a hot shower. This is how it works:
- Hold the scrotum in the palms of both hands. This lets you use the thumbs and fingers of both hands to feel the testicles.
- Then palpate the testicles individually. You should feel for any swelling, slight enlargement or changes in firmness.
- Behind them you will be able to feel the soft tissue of the epididymis, which store and transport the sperm.
- Finally, examine your testicles in front of a mirror for any external abnormalities such as swelling or enlargement.
If you notice a change or feel any painless hardening, swelling or have pain in the testicle area, a feeling of heaviness or pulling in the testicles and groin or swelling or pain in your chest, you should consult a medical specialist. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a tumour. Pain and swelling can also be caused by benign conditions such as epididymitis or a hydrocele. But you should still take the symptoms seriously and consult a urologist. They will usually be able to confirm or reject the diagnosis with blood tests and an ultrasound. The santé24 telemedicine service is available around the clock for a consultation if you suspect testicular cancer, and can be contacted as a first point of contact or for a referral.
How is testicular cancer treated?
How it's treated depends on the stage of the cancer. Usually, the affected testicle is surgically removed. Since in most cases only the affected testicle is surgically removed during the orchiectomy, this has no effect on the man's ability to father a child. To be on the safe side, you can also get your sperm frozen (cryopreservation). Usually, the remaining testicle is able to produce enough testosterone so that normal male functions (sexual desire, ability to have an erection and orgasm) don’t change.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in Switzerland. Over 7000 men suffer from it every year. The prostate lies under the bladder, surrounds the urethra and borders the rectum at the back. One of the main tasks of the chestnut-sized gland is the production of a protein (prostate-specific antigen (PSA)) that liquefies the seminal fluid. It also makes sure that the urethra remains closed at the bladder and that seminal fluid doesn't mix with urine. If you urgently need to urinate, it does the opposite and closes the seminal ducts.
Prostate enlargement ≠ prostate cancer
Prostate enlargement on its own is a benign condition. It is much more frequent than prostate cancer. With age, the prostate enlarges, narrowing the urethra surrounding it. This can lead to a weakened urine stream, a frequent urge to urinate, needing to go to the toilet at night, as well as taking a long time to urinate and pain when urinating. Also with these symptoms you shouldn’t wait too long to get checked out and treated to prevent it from leading to kidney damage due to a backlog of urine.
Prostate cancer develops very slowly and doesn’t always lead to health problems, which is why it often goes undetected in its early stages. If prostate cancer is detected early enough, when the tumour is still confined to the prostate, it is often treatable. In an advanced stage, after the tumour has already grown into the surrounding tissue or metastases have formed, prostate cancer can no longer be treated. However, tumour growth can sometimes be put on hold for years.
How is prostate cancer detected?
To detect prostate cancer early on, men need to get examined even if they don't have any symptoms of the disease. This is so that cancer can be detected at the earliest stage possible. There are two types of examination:
- PSA test: PSA can be detected in small amounts in the blood. In the case of a prostate disease such as enlargement or cancer, more PSA is released into the blood, causing the level to rise. A small blood sample taken at regular intervals can determine whether there is an elevated PSA level or if it increases over time, in which case further courses of action can be decided on.
- Digital rectal examination: During this examination, the medical specialist inserts their index finger into the patient's anus and feels the prostate through the intestine wall. If irregularities such as hard lumps are found, this could be a sign of prostate cancer.
Men aged 50 and older should have a PSA test every one to three years – especially if a close relative (father or brother) was diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 65, or if multiple relatives have had prostate cancer, regardless of their age.
Screening examinations can sometimes give false-positive results, raising suspicion of a possible disease, which then lead to further examinations and emotional stress. This should be taken into account when deciding whether to be screened or not. A preventive check-up in SWICA’s BENECURA app can also be a good way to see whether a check-up is recommended.
Medical check-ups
SWICA supports its insured members' commitment to a healthy lifestyle and makes generous contributions to preventive measures. This includes examinations and check-ups to detect potential illnesses at an early stage.
