4th annual urology conference wants men to talk prostate cancer

It’s time to get the prostate checked guys – that’s the message the fourth annual urology symposium is trying to get across.

“It’s the thought of getting a finger up the bum,” said prostate cancer survivor Murray Hill, on why guys don’t want to talk about prostate cancer.

“It’s not a big deal, it doesn’t hurt, little uncomfortable, but it can save your life.”

Moustaches are making a comeback for Movember to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer, as November is the month dedicated to the cause.

“We didn’t get the word out before Movember,” Hill said.

“It’s a serious thing, but guys just didn’t want to talk about it. Now we talk about it because Movember is cool.”

Hill said his family has a history of prostate cancer and that’s why he got tested.

“My dad had prostate cancer so I knew I had to get tested at an early age,” he said.

“My doctor started testing me for 20 years because he kept up on it with my family history of the disease.”

Hill said not a lot of signs show for prostate cancer.

“If you wake up a lot at night to pee or have trouble peeing then that’s a sign,” he said.

“Sometimes no signs happen because you don’t feel anything, my wife told me it took me way too long to pee and that was my sign.”

According to the National Cancer Institute around 13 per cent of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point during their lifetime.

“Anybody can have prostate cancer even young people,” Hill said. “My son started getting prostate checks at 20-years-old.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.

“Men need to have a discussion with their family doctors,” said Saskatoon urologist Dr. Kishore Visvanathan.

“But men generally don’t like going to the doctor and especially don’t want an uncomfortable procedure done to them.”

Dr. Visvanathan said a lot of men still aren’t getting checked despite all the awareness.

“Even with Movember we haven’t seen an increase in prostate cancer patients over the last few years.”