Ep. 123: What to Know About Men’s Health
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Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 35. Experts recommend that men start to perform testicular self-exams in their teen years. Some middle aged men have never performed a self-exam in their life. To raise awareness during Men’s Health month, our Dr. Peter Nord checks in with Medcan’s director of urology and Michael Garron Hospital’s chief of surgery Dr. Rajiv Singal (pictured above). He shares the latest in testicular and prostate cancer treatment and prevention, and discusses a new therapy for enlarged prostates that uses steam for a minimally invasive way to treat a common problem for aging men.
LINKS
Follow Dr. Rajiv Singal on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn. Learn more about his research and practice on his website.
Connect with Dr. Peter Nord on LinkedIn.
Get involved, get informed and raise awareness for Men’s Health Month.
Learn how to do a testicular self-exam, and a breast self-exam for men.
Read this guide on prostate cancer prevention from the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Learn more about Rezūm Water Therapy as an alternative to surgery to treat enlarged prostates.
INSIGHTS
The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system in men, and has a role to play in fertility. It produces a fluid that mixes with sperm to create semen. “We were born needing a prostate… its useful role in life tends to be done relatively early, and then it remains afterwards,” says Dr. Singal. It’s in those later years that the prostate can become enlarged—or even cancerous—and cause symptoms and discomfort. [4:28]
The testicles produce testosterone, “a normal and a very important piece that all men need to maintain bone health, a sense of well being and to have energy and a sex drive,” says Dr. Singal. They also produce sperm, which is a critical component in fertility. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 35, and it’s important for men to do regular testicular self-exams to check for lumps, bumps or other irregularities. [6:21]
As you get older, you might notice that you’re taking more trips to the bathroom at night. As you age and your prostate grows, “it has the effect of constricting the urethra—the pipe through which we void,” explains Dr. Singal. A larger prostate can cause benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which is not cancerous, but can cause a slow flow and more urgency and frequency getting up at night. [11:01]
Some men who experience prostate-related symptoms will ask their family doctor for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which can identify prostate cancer in its early stages through high PSA levels. A larger prostate will naturally raise PSA levels, so it’s important to have a baseline PSA test done, so your doctor can monitor your levels over time and determine the right next steps. [14:49]
Lowering your consumption of caffeine and alcohol can help manage symptoms of BPH. Flomax, Rapaflo and Xatral are common medications that “don't actually do anything to change the prostate shape or affect growth, but they're very good at actually ameliorating symptoms,” says Dr. Singal. Other drugs called Proscar or Avodart will slow prostate growth. There are also minimally invasive surgeries that will unblock the urethra. [19:13]
A new water vaporization therapy called Rezūm uses steam to destroy some of the tissue that blocks the urethra. It doesn’t require any cutting or anesthetic, and you won’t have to spend any extra time in the hospital. [22:25]
Over the course of their lifetime, upwards of one in seven Canadians will develop prostate cancer. “That seems like a big number,”' says Dr. Singal. “The challenge with prostate cancer is that many people do not need to actually be treated. It can be slow growing for the majority of people.” Dr. Nord shares that he had a patient “who, despite having metastatic prostate cancer, was golfing his age. It’s a very individualized condition.” [24:33]
Erectile dysfunction can often be related to a new stressor in the patient’s life. “It might be entirely managed through identifying and then working through a life stressor that might have evolved,” says Dr. Singal. Erectile dysfunction can also be a vascular disease. “You need a blood supply and a blood flow to get an erection. As men get older, that’s an increasing challenge.” [31:08]
“We need men to make sure that their primary care physicians are addressing the prostate side, doing that blood test, getting that baseline so that we can then establish what that risk might be,” says Dr. Singal. “I think that's the main thing: be aware. Don't suffer in silence. Ask questions the next time you're in to see your family physician. I think that's ultimately what Men's Health Month is all about.” [33:42]
In terms of prevention, “I think it really comes down to awareness more than anything else,” says Dr. Singal. “If you eat well, sleep well and exercise, it's probably going to have some impact in a positive way on your prostate. What's good for your heart is probably good for your prostate.” [36:03]
*LEGAL
This podcast episode is intended to provide general information about health and wellness only and is not designed, or intended to constitute, or be used as a substitute for, medical advice, treatment or diagnosis. You should always talk to your Medcan health care provider for individual medical advice, diagnosis and treatment, including your specific health and wellness needs.
The podcast is based on the information available at the time of preparation and is only accurate and current as of that date. Source information and recommendations are subject to change based on scientific evidence as it evolves over time. Medcan is not responsible for future changes or updates to the information and recommendations, and assumes no obligation to update based on future developments.
Reference to, or mention of, specific treatments or therapies, does not constitute or imply a recommendation or endorsement. The links provided within the associated document are to assist the reader with the specific information highlighted. Any third-party links are not endorsed by Medcan.