Men ’s health The Forgotten Cancer The rise of testicular cancer in young men. It’s known as the ‘forgotten cancer’ due to its comparative rareness but remains as the biggest threat to males aged between 15 and 35. Testicular cancer peaks in men during their 20s and 30s and those diagnosed with the disease often live with the effects and the treatment for more than 40 years. The survival rate for testicular cancer is 98 percent, but of concern is an increase in the number of cases, resulting in a greater need to identify patients most likely to relapse after initial therapy and to ensure continued delivery of personalised treatment strategies. According to the Cancer Council Australia, the risk of being diagnosed with testicular cancer by age 85 is 1 in 214. The rate of men diagnosed with testicular cancer has grown by more than 50 percent over the past 30 years, however the reason for this is not known. Dr Charles Charbet is a Urologist at Pindara Private Hospital. He says there are around 700 diagnosed cases of testicular cancer in Australia each year – low, compared to more than 20,000 diagnoses of prostate cancer. “The cure rate has changed radically over the last three decades thanks to a platinum-based chemotherapy develop in the 1980s,” he says. “We don’t know why the incidence of testicular cancer is increasing and research is absolutely critical as we’re yet to be able to pinpoint specific risk factors. We need to explore prevention and increase early detection.” Most testicular cancers are successfully treated. Cancer Council Australia stats show that in 2011, there were 16 deaths. Symptoms can include a pain in one of the testes and/or a lump. While treatment is highly successful, the medical consensus is that more must be done to improve the quality of men’s lives. An imbalance of testosterone can result from therapy and can have effects such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, altered sexual function and a reduced quality of life. This year the board of global men’s health charity Movember approved expanding its Global Action Plan (GAP) to include testicular cancer with an initial investment of $2.5 million over the next two years. Head of Programs Paul Villanti identified a critical need to fill in the funding shortfalls experienced by testicular cancer researchers across the world. For now though, Movember is uniquely positioned to at least start the process of bridging this gap. “We believe that getting the best researchers from around the world to work together on key challenges will accelerate breakthroughs that will ultimately benefit men,” he says. “Further, we believe that team-based research, performed across borders with a strong collaborative mindset can deliver innovation and knowledge sharing which leads to faster results that benefit men living with testicular and prostate cancer.” Australian cricketer and testicular cancer survivor Matt Wade is helping to raise awareness to ensure the ‘forgotten cancer’ is remembered by researchers. “I’ve been a dedicated ‘Mo Bro’ for a number of years now. Men’s health is a cause close to my heart (and) it’s great to see Movember getting behind testicular cancer to raise important awareness,” he says. Movember CEO, Adam Garone, says many of the Mo Bros (supporters) are in their 20s and 30s where testicular cancer is most common. “It’s a proud day to be able to announce such a significant commitment to an often forgotten cancer,” he says of the funding commitment. “Our approach to research will see testicular cancer researchers from across the globe come together for the first time to collaborate. The Mo Bros and Mo Sistas that join the movement each year make such progress possible. On behalf of every man and their families that have been through the testicular cancer journey – thank you”. pm Number Crunch 700 number of new cases each year in Australia 15 - 35 ages of males where disease prevalent 98% survival rate 2.5 million dollars allocated for research by Movember Pindara M 36 agazine Summer | 2014/15
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Three
To see the actual publication please follow the link above