Male Cancer Archives

For the boys Solly Moeng: Back in the saddle

July 29, 2020 Word for Word Media

Solly Moeng tells us how he juggled prostate cancer surgery and work, and how pleased he was when he could get back to his cycling. Solly Moeng (53) lives in Wynberg, Cape Town. He has three children. Work project delays check-up Every year, in April, Solly has a routine medical check-up. During the 2017 exam, the GP casually indicated that Solly’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level seemed ‘a bit elevated’ and that he should get it checked. “There was no urgency in his voice and he mentioned it so nonchalantly that I didn’t ask him what it all meant or what the count…

Prostate Cancer Prostate cancer: a detailed review (Part 2)

July 28, 2020 Word for Word Media

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We learn about the available treatment offered for localised and locally advanced prostate cancer. Localised prostate cancer Several treatment options are available. The choice is based on: Risk category of the prostate cancer Patient preference General health and life expectancy of patient Affordability and treatment options available at different facilities 1. Active surveillance This is for low-risk disease. Curative treatments, such as radiotherapy or surgery, are delayed until disease progression. Patients are closely monitored with regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests and digital rectal examinations. A repeat biopsy may be performed six to 12 months after diagnosis or if cancer growth…

For the boys The experience of robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

May 29, 2020 Word for Word Media

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Paddy O’Brien shares his experience of undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Paddy O’Brien (65) lives in Pinelands, Cape Town with his wife. They have two adult children. Diagnosis For 15 years, Paddy had a benign enlarged prostate, living with the condition of urgent, frequent urination. In April 2017, a routine PSA test raised concerns. He asked his specialist urologist, who had confirmed the enlarged prostate, about performing a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a surgery used to treat urinary problems that are caused by an enlarged prostate. The specialist agreed, but recommended a needle-biopsy at the same time. The op was performed…

For the boys Prostate cancer: A detailed review

May 29, 2020 Word for Word Media

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We take an in-depth look at prostate cancer, the symptoms and how it is staged. Age and screening Screening, which includes a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE), can help detect prostate cancer in the early stages when it can be cured. Early detection reduces the risk of dying by up to 56%. Informed patient-based screening is recommended, by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, in men with a life expectancy of more than 10 years in the following situations: From the age of 40 in black African men and in men who have a…

For the boys DareDevil Iain

March 19, 2020 Word for Word Media

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Prostate and lung cancer survivor, Iain Johnston, talks about cancer treatment and running his fifth Hollard DareDevil Run with the aim of raising money for Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa. Iain Johnston (64) stays in Dainfern, Gauteng with his wife. They have two children and two grandchildren. Fluctuating PSA level Iain went for regular PSA screening tests every year. For a few years, he had a high PSA level. He explains, “Just because you have a high PSA, doesn’t necessarily mean you have prostate cancer, but it’s an indication and should be followed up with further observation or investigation….

For the boys John McPetrie – The lighter side of prostate cancer

February 3, 2020 Word for Word Media

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John McPetrie shares his humorous views of the side effects of prostate cancer treatment. John (66) lives in Constantia, Cape Town, with his wife, Sue. They have two adult sons, having lost their eldest four years ago. REGULAR PSA SCREENINGS John was diagnosed with Stage 3b prostate cancer in late 2018 despite regular PSA testing for 22 years. “After many years of a relatively high PSA (it went up to almost 11), it began to drop; fairly unexpectedly and quite rapidly. It fell to 4,02 in mid-2017. My then urologist thought that whatever had caused the high reading had disappeared. But evidently not,…

For the boys What men should know about Testicular Cancer

December 10, 2014 Laurelle Williams

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Testicular cancer is a highly treatable, usually curable, cancer that most often develops in young and middle-aged men usually between the ages of 20 to 35 years old. Approximately 8500 new cases of testicular cancer occur in the US each year, of which less than 5% will be fatal. The testicles are the male sex glands that produce testosterone and sperm. Germ cells within the testicles produce immature sperm that travel through a network of tiny tubes and larger tubes into the epididymis, where the sperm mature and are stored. Almost all testicular cancers start in the germ cells. The…