Mo-vember; raising awareness for mens health

  • Published
  • By Maj. (Dr.) Winnifred Wong
  • 60 MDG
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  

November is National Men's Cancer Awareness Month, also known as "Mo-vember," when men grow mustaches in support of the cause. 

 

In honor of the month, the David Grant USAF Medical Center oncology and urology groups held a Men's Cancer Health Fair, 16 Nov., 2017.  

 

Prostate cancer is the No. 1 cancer in men in the United States, with one in eight men diagnosed annually.  It is also the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States.  With the predominance of veterans and retirees being male, and the average age for prostate cancer, it is the most common solid malignancy we treat at DGMC.

 

Although less common, testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed in men in their 20s and 30s – the most common age for active duty members.  About one in 263 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer in their lifetime.  If caught early, though, local control and survival rates are in the 90 percent range.

 

With the patient population at DGMC, having an event for men's cancer awareness in November is a great opportunity to enhance cancer education and prevention since early detection is key to survival.