BLUE SEPTEMBER NEWS

Gundagai Independent - Men urged to be cancer aware this month

Last Updated: Monday 20th of September 2010 at 04:18:30 PM

Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), Frank Sartor has encouraged everyone to wear blue to support Blue September - a campaign to raise awareness that one in two NSW men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime - and he encouraged men to seek advice from their GP. Mr Sartor said men in NSW are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than women.

"Each year, more than 7000 NSW men die of cancer, and 20,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed," Mr Sartor said. "These are daunting statistics, and lifestyle factors such as diet, alcohol and lack of physical activity are driving the increases of some types of cancer in NSW men. "Healthy habits and early detection can play a role in reducing these numbers.

"Initiatives like Blue September are also vitally important in raising community awareness of the disease, and there is no more appropriate time of the year than Father's Day to do this." In NSW four cancers accounted for 64% of new cancers in men: prostate (32%), bowel (13%y, melanoma (10%) and lung (10%).

Other cancers that commonly affect men and which are often preventable through lifestyle choices include cancers of the kidney, liver, head, neck, oesophagus and bladder. This suggests that being careful about weight, stopping tobacco use, reducing alcohol consumption and living a healthy lifestyle may help reduce the likelihood of being diagnosed with some cancers.

Mr Sartor said we want our fathers to be with us next father's day, so we're asking men to be more aware of their health and take simple steps to avoid a cancer diagnosis.

Mr Sartor said continued support and investment in cancer research, screening, treatment and services for patients and their families remained a top priority for the NSW Government.