AS PROSTATE CANCER AFFECTS ONE IN EIGHT MEN IN SCOTLAND, PHARMACIES HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN EARLY DIAGNOSIS
themselves on a regular basis. They can do this by cradling the whole of the scrotum and testicles in the palm of the hand and examine the difference in the size of the testicles. In most men, one is almost always larger and lying lower; this is completely normal. Men should check for any lumps on the skin or swellings inside either of the testicles.
Patients should be advised to check for any of the following symptoms: • pain or tenderness in the testicles • a build-up of fluid in the scrotum • a dull ache in the lower abdomen • an increase in the size of one of the testicles • blood in the semen
In the event that they are experiencing any of these symptoms, then they should attend the GP surgery for further investigation.
Penile cancer While this type of cancer is much rarer than prostate or testicular cancer, nevertheless, it’s important to be aware of the symptoms.
Penile cancer mostly affects the skin of the penis and the foreskin (the skin covering the head of the penis).
For penile cancers that are caught very early, treatment comes in the form of creams and laser therapy.
If it’s not caught early, however, treatment may mean surgery.
COMMENT Michael Kavanagh, Male Health Scotland, talks about pharmacy’s role in dealing with male cancers….
It is often considered that a pharmacist’s role in men’s health is simply to provide their medication, but our charity has found many men will initially approach a pharmacist with regard to a health issue. The opportunity therefore exists for pharmacists to either treat or refer. With prostate cancer, which affects 2500-3000 Scottish men a year, urinary issues will likely be the initial complaint, usually in relation to
difficulty passing urine. Where burning is not present, it is prudent to refer to a GP, especially in males over 50, as prostate cancer is a concern at this age. Benign prostate enlargement is the more likely diagnosis, but this will be hard to assess in a pharmacy. A differential diagnosis would be prostatitis, and this can be determined by asking a patient if his pain increases post (not during) ejaculation.
Men who present with burning on urination, and no new sexual partner, will likely have a urinary tract infection, and a pharmacist can determine this by asking if frequency and/or urgency are present. The pharmacist can then treat a urinary tract infection with the same antibiotics used for a woman.
As prostate cancer affects one in eight men in Scotland, pharmacies have a vital role to play in early diagnosis, but will probably see the other male cancers more infrequently. Testicular cancer will present with usually asymmetric enlargement, dull pain, lumps or bumps on a testicle. Where burning pain is present, the patient should be referred to the GP for examination as there may be an infection. In penile cancer, which is very rare in Scotland, it will be perceived, initially, as a skin complaint that simply will not heal. A red flag is the development of phimosis (tightening of the foreskin) and, should a patient present with such an issue, referral to a GP is essential.
PROSTATE CANCER OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY IN MEN OVER 50 YEARS OF AGE AND MORE MEN IN SCOTLAND ARE DIAGNOSED WITH THIS FORM OF CANCER THAN ANY OTHER
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