MOVEMBER: IT IS MORE THAN JUST FACIAL HAIR

najrandilmohamud
Nov 11, 2020
2 min read

What is Movember?

Movember is an annual and global movement that consists of growing moustaches during the month of November. This is done in an attempt to raise awareness on men’s health problems, notably prostate and testicular cancer as well as suicide.

Prostate Cancer

The prostate is a male gland of about the size of a walnut. As men grow older, their prostate get bigger. This gland is located underneath the bladder and around the urethra (urinating/ejaculating tube). Its purpose is to produce semen, the fluid that carries sperm.

Prostate cancer happens when the gland's cells grow at a faster pace. This results in a tumor. In some men the growth might start slowly and in others faster. If not treated as soon as possible, prostate cancer metastasize and start affecting lymph nodes and bones. Other tumors might arise.

Detection

Some individuals may experience symptoms more than others. Often, prostate cancer is detected by a physician during a simple check up. One thing to note is that changes in urinary or sexual function may be an indication of cancer. Make sure to look out for your health!

Symptoms

The main symptoms to keep an eye out for are:

An increase in the need to urinate (often at night)
Difficulty to urinate or holding back the need to urinate
Interrupted or weak urine flow
Painful urination or ejaculation
Bloody urine or semen
Difficulty in erection
Pain in the lower back, hips and thighs.

Prevention and Risk Factors

Risk Factors

Age (though older men are more affected, it can happen at any age)
Family history
It has been observed by specialists that African-American men and Caribbean men are more affected by prostate cancer. The reason is still unclear.

Some preventive measures are:

Eating Healthy
Maintaining a healthy weight
Exercising almost everyday
Talking about your risk with your doctor and GETTING PSA TESTS at 50 or 45 if you have a family history or are of African or Caribbean descent.

*A PSA test is a blood test that measures the concentration of Prostate Specific Antigen in your body. It is the main way to test for prostate cancer.*

Treatment options include

Active Surveillance
Prostatectomy
Radiotherapy
Hormone Therapy
Chemotherapy

Prostate cancer does start slow, so some may not need surgery or very harsh treatments. Moreover, prostate cancer has a pretty high survival rate.

This poster from Prostate Cancer Canada provides some statistics that helps understanding the repercussions that this cancer have on men all around the country.

Prostate cancer leaves side effects even after being treated. Survivors experience incontinence, erectile dysfunction, weight gain from hormone therapy and depression. Cancers have a huge impact on people’s lives and those surrounding them. It may even destroy relationships. This is why it is so important to talk about cancers and ways to prevent them.

Learn more about Movember's mission and prostate cancer on https://ca.movember.com and by watching the video linked below.