The eleventh Orchid Male Cancer Awareness Week, from 8^th 14th April, encourages all men to check their “bits”

This important annual campaign raises awareness of male specific cancers – prostate, testicular and penile cancer – providing practical advice, support and information on the detection, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

West Sussex Urology Consultant surgeons, Barnaby Chappell & Simon Woodhams are urging men to get to know their prostate and routinely check their testicles. They explain that most men are pretty unaware of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer or know what to look for when they check their testicles.

Many men who develop prostate cancer don’t develop any symptoms at all.  But getting up at night as well as going very frequently and perhaps rushing to the loo, those are all the common symptoms of any prostate problem. Prostate Cancer is a very serious disease and in fact it’s the second most common cause of men dying from cancer in the UK.  If men do have symptoms it’s very worthwhile having this sort of problem excluded.  It comes as figures show more than half of men don’t actually know where their prostate is.  It’s the second biggest cancer killer in men.

Most men’s testicles are about the same size, though it’s common for one to be slightly bigger than the other. It’s also common for one testicle to hang lower than the other.  The testicles should feel smooth, without any lumps or bumps, and firm but not hard. You may feel a soft tube at the back of each testicle, which is called the epididymis.  If you notice any changes or anything unusual about your testicles, you should get checked out.

If you’re a guy who puts off going to see the doctor, you’re not alone but sometimes it’s good to talk. It’s a common problem among men…a reluctance to talk about health and more specifically, the prostate, penis or bladder. It’s understandable really, problems ‘down there’ don’t exactly make us feel our most masculine and talking about any type of health issue isn’t easy.

Barnaby Chappell & Simon Woodhams are Consultant Urologists at Western Sussex Hospitals and practice privately at Goring Hall Hospital near Worthing.