Eight out of ten Italian men do not go to the urologist even once in their life, risking to discover tumors such as testicular cancer or penile cancer too late which, if diagnosed and treated at an early stage, are treated well and can heal. To raise the alarm in view of Father's Day on March 19 are the experts of the National Cancer Institute of Milan, by signing a vademecum that teaches how to protect yourself. In 2017, about 2.500 testicular cancers were estimated in our country, the most frequent neoplasm in men under 50 (especially from 18 to 35 years old), an age group in which it represents 12% of the total incident cases. Also last year in Italy 500 diagnoses of penile cancer were calculated, more common in over 50s, with a peak after the age of 75. "It is surprising how even today there are men who come to the oncologist with an advanced disease", says Roberto Salvioni, director of the complex structure of urological surgery of the Int. Yet, according to the Irccs doctors, "it would take little to change the approach of males to prevention and early diagnosis: educating them from an early age to careful hygiene and self-control of the genitals are the two life-saving rules that everyone should respect. starting from 10 years ".
“Children should be taught how to properly cleanse their private parts before sexual life begins. This is always and especially true for men who were not subjected to circumcision at birth. Today, in fact, it is scientifically established that in the male populations where this practice is widespread, the risk of penile cancer is very low. Learning to cleanse thoroughly also avoids phimosis, the main risk factor for cancer ". The moment dedicated to personal hygiene is also a precious opportunity to check the testicles, as confirmed by the American Cancer Society: hot water, the specialists explain, makes palpation easier. For Salvioni, the priority is “to unhinge those taboos which unfortunately are still deeply rooted in many families. There is nothing wrong with touching yourself, quite the contrary. Just by touching the testicles in the moment of daily hygiene it is possible to detect differences in shape or consistency, which could be an early sign of disease. Just as, observing and palpating the penis, you can discover spots, swellings or in general something different from the usual, to be reported to your doctor ".
The vaccine against human papillomavirus has also been promoted, because contracting the infection increases the risk of cancer by 4 to 8 times. The anti-Hpv vaccination is free for 30-year-olds, as well as for girls, and the active call by invitation of the ASL has also been introduced for males. The problem is that the opportunities are not the same in all of Italy. "It is a question to be resolved quickly because we are noticing a lowering of the age of onset of penile cancer linked to Papillomavirus infections: about 50% of cases among the under 9s are caused by HPV". “Making vaccination available throughout the country is not enough, however. Information to parents of male children on the protective efficacy of the vaccine against this carcinoma should be strengthened. The condom is an effective barrier and for this reason it must always be used, but it does not allow total protection against the virus ". The always valid message is to play ahead: “Testicular cancer is successfully treated in 10 out of 6 cases when it is diagnosed early. Surgery is the main therapy, but it should only be performed in centers of excellence. We also have high positive data regarding penile cancer: if it is caught early, it is possible to intervene with a mix of laser and chemotherapy, with organ preservation in over 10 out of XNUMX cases.
And here is the vademecum for him: 10 tips in all, 5 for one tumor and 5 for the other.
The rules for prevention
Regularly check the position of the testicles from birth and, in case of failure of one of the two to descend, talk to the pediatrician to evaluate the surgical correction. Cryptorchidism can in fact increase the risk of cancer up to 10 times, but the probabilities are reduced if the anomaly is corrected: the danger is multiplied by two if the intervention takes place before the age of 6, by 5 if it is within 13 years;
Perform self-examination of the testicles from puberty onwards: apply light pressure with the fingertips on the entire surface and also check its appearance and color. If the check is carried out regularly, you learn to recognize any changes to be promptly reported to the doctor
Evaluate with the doctor a schedule of checks if the mother was exposed in a protracted and intense way to substances that interfere with the endocrine balance, in particular to pesticides and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The same is true if the exposure occurred in the first 3 years of life;
No smoking: smoking doubles the risk of testicular cancer;
Keep diabetes under control, if any: It can increase the chances of skin infections, including that of the penis.
Prevention:
Cleanse the private parts twice a day and after each sexual intercourse, lifting the glans in order to remove the secretions that collect in the furrow well. The care must be constant and must start from 2 years of age;
Carry out anti-Hpv vaccination for adolescents, preferably within the twelfth year of life;
Use the condom systematically, which should be worn during the preliminaries;
Keep the genital tissues covered carefully in case of therapy with psoralen and UV rays.
This treatment, used to treat psoriasis, can increase the risk of penile cancer;
Not smoking. Smoking damages the DNA of the organ's cells, favoring their transformation into oncogenic cells.