Men unaware of prostate cancer threat, new survey reveals
30 May 2008
British men are ignorant about the cancer they are most likely to develop – prostate cancer – by severely underestimating the numbers affected every year and not knowing the symptoms.
More than two thirds (70 per cent) of men underestimated by half the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, according to survey results released today by Everyman, the UK’s leading male cancer campaign.
The survey of more than 1,000 men was carried out by One Poll on behalf of the prostate and testicular cancer charity, Everyman. Seventy per cent of participants thought that about 17,000 men or less were diagnosed each year – less than half the actual number, a staggering 35,000.
Spokesperson for the Everyman Male Cancer Campaign, Krista Eleftheriou said: “It’s shocking that there is such ignorance about such a prolific disease. The number of men who die of prostate cancer every year is almost comparable to the number of women who die from breast cancer, yet it remains a taboo subject that is rarely spoken about. We desperately need more money so that we can do more research to find better treatments for the disease.”
The survey also revealed a lack of knowledge of the symptoms of prostate cancer, with only 13 per cent of men feeling confident to name them.
“Few men are aware that signs include a sense of urgency to pass urine, passing urine more often, with pain and, or, passing blood (amongst other urinary related problems),” Everyman spokesperson Krista Eleftheriou said.
“Men’s lack of knowledge about prostate cancer may spring partly from their reluctance to talk about their health, with the survey revealing this to be the topic men are least likely to discuss with their friends. In fact, men admitted they would be much happier to talk about traffic and celebrities.”
The survey also revealed that:
• Thirty-two per cent thought that only around 9,000 men are diagnosed each year in the UK
• Six per cent thought the number was as low as 300 diagnosed each year
• Twenty-seven per cent of men are least likely to talk about their health
• Only 15 per cent of men sited celebrities as being their least favourite topic.
About 10,000 men die of prostate cancer every year in the UK, which works out at one man dying of the disease every hour.
The Everyman Centre is Europe’s first and only dedicated male cancer research centre. Scientists at the centre are working on an extensive programme of research into prostate and testicular cancer.
The centre has been responsible for some remarkable achievements, such as the development of a testicular cancer drug, Carboplatin, which is largely responsible for more than 90 per cent of men surviving the disease. Everyman scientists also discovered the E2F3 gene, which helps to provide a marker to distinguish between aggressive and non-aggressive prostate cancers. For more information visit www.everyman-campaign.org
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For further information, please contact:
Dominique Vincent
020 7153 5312 or, out of hours, 07721 747900 dominique.vincent@icr.ac.uk
Notes to Editor
• This June is the 11th annual Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month which aims to raise awareness of the 37,000 men diagnosed with prostate and testicular cancer every year in the UK.
• Everyman is a campaign run by The Institute of Cancer Research, to raise awareness and fund research into testicular and prostate cancer at The Everyman Centre – Europe’s first and only centre dedicated to male cancer research.
• The Institute of Cancer Research is Europe’s leading cancer research centre with expert scientists working on cutting edge research. It was founded in 1909 to carry out research into the causes of cancer and to develop new strategies for its prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Website at: www.icr.ac.uk
• Prostate cancer has overtaken lung cancer to become the most common cancer in men affecting almost 35,000 men every year in the UK. One man dies of prostate cancer in the UK every hour.
• Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men aged between 15 and 44, with about 2,000 cases a year in the UK. Incidence is increasing dramatically – by almost 4-fold in the last 50 years, but thanks to advances made at Everyman, testicular cancer is 99 per cent curable if caught early, and with treatment the overall cure rate is 95 per cent.
• 1,058 men took part in the survey, carried out online by One Poll from 25 April - 9 May 2008.
