Male genital cancers
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Follow the links below to find trusted information about male genital cancers.
Last reviewed: May 2018
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Testicular conditions
A number of conditions can affect the testicles (the male sex glands where sperm are made.)
Read more on WA Health website
Undescended testicles - Better Health Channel
Undescended testicles means that one or both testicles are missing from the scrotum.
Read more on Better Health Channel website
Balanitis :: SA Health
Balanitis is an inflammation of the glans (head) of the penis.
Read more on SA Health website
Testicle injuries and conditions - Better Health Channel
If you injure your testicles, always seek urgent medical advice.
Read more on Better Health Channel website
Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Testes (testicles) - babies and children
The testes (or balls)are formed in the abdomen (belly) while the baby is in the womb and they normally descend (move down) into the scrotum towards the end of pregnancy
Read more on Women's and Children's Health Network website
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV is a common virus that affects both females and males. It is highly contagious and can cause a variety of cancers and genital warts.
Read more on WA Health website
Testicular Cancer - Information, Treatment & Support - CanTeen
Testicular cancer is condition that affects the male organs responsible for sperm production. Learn more about causes, diagnosis and treatments with CanTeen.
Read more on CanTeen website
Prostate Cancer - Information, Treatment & Support - CanTeen
Prostate cancer is condition that affects the male organs responsible for semen production. Learn more about causes, diagnosis and treatments with CanTeen.
Read more on CanTeen website
Male infertility - myDr.com.au
Male infertility is a major factor in 30 to 50 per cent of couples having trouble conceiving. Male infertility usually results from low numbers of sperm or poor quality sperm.
Read more on myDr website
Early Detection of Testicular Cancer | myVMC
Early detection of testicular cancer, male self test check up of urogenital system for detecting testicular cancer
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
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Prostate Cancer (Suspected and Staging)
This pathway provides guidance on the staging of adult male patients with biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer, prior to definitive treatment.
Read more on Diagnostic Imaging Pathways website
Screening for testicular cancer | Cochrane
Testicular cancer commonly affects men aged between 20 and 35 years. It accounts up to 2% of cancers diagnosed in men, although the lifetime risk of mortality is less than 1%. Screening for testicular cancer is commonly performed by physician, who performs a physical examination, or self-examination by the patient. However, there is little evidence that documents the accuracy of such examinations. This review identified that no randomised controlled trials have been performed to evaluate the effectiveness of screening for testicular cancer. In the absence of high quality evidence, male patients with an increased risk of developing testicular cancer should be informed of the potential benefits and harms associated with screening.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Neo-adjuvant and adjuvant hormone therapy for localised and locally advanced prostate cancer | Cochrane
The management of early prostate cancer is one of the most controversial areas in the field of cancer medicine with surgery, radiotherapy, primary hormonal therapy (achieved either by medication or by the surgical removal of the testes - orchidectomy) and watchful waiting, all being acceptable forms of initial treatment. Treatment decision making is often based on patient and provider preferences taking into account the risks and benefits of therapies and disease progression. Since prostate cancer is driven, in part by male sex hormones, the use of hormonal treatment to reduce the level of circulating male hormones is a potentially very useful method of treating all stages of this disease. Recently, research on the use of such hormonal therapy in combination with both surgery and radiotherapy has increased. This systematic review combines the results of all the important trials looking at the role of hormones in combination with surgery and radiotherapy for localised and locally advanced prostate cancer.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Screening for prostate cancer | Cochrane
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in men worldwide. Screening for prostate cancer implies that diagnostic tests be performed in the absence of any symptoms or indications of disease. These tests include the digital rectal examination (DRE), the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided biopsy. Screening aims to identify cancers at an early and treatable stage, therefore increasing the chances of successful treatment while also improving a patient's future quality of life. This review identified five relevant studies, comprised of 341,342 participants in total. Two of the studies were assessed to be of low risk of bias, whilst the remaining three had more substantive methodological weaknesses. Meta-analysis of all five included studies demonstrated no statistically significant reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality (risk ratio (RR) 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86 to 1.17). Meta-analysis of the two low risk of bias studies indicated no significant reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.30). Only one study included in this review (ERSPC) reported a significant 21% relative reduction (95% CI 31% to 8%) in prostate cancer-specific mortality in a pre-specified subgroup of men. These results were primarily driven by two countries within the ERSPC study that had very high prostate cancer mortality rates and unusually large reduction estimates. Among men aged 55 to 69 years in the ERSPC study, the study authors reported that 1055 men would need to be screened to prevent one additional death from prostate cancer during a median follow-up duration of 11 years. Harms included overdiagnosis and harms associated with overtreatment, including false-positive results for the PSA test, infection, bleeding, and pain associated with subsequent biopsy.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Lycopene for the prevention of prostate cancer | Cochrane
Prostate cancer is a common form of cancer affecting men worldwide. Pharmaceutical interventions, such as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, have been identified as potentially preventing prostate cancer incidence in men. Many men modify lifestyle and consume complementary and alternative medicines to maintain better health and prevent disease. Lycopene is a supplement that has been suggested may assist in the prevention of prostate cancer due to its antioxidant effects. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the effectiveness of lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer. This review identified 3 relevant studies, comprising 154 participants in total. Two of the studies were assessed to be of 'high' risk of bias. Meta-analysis of two studies indicated no statistical difference in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels between men randomised to receive lycopene and the comparison group (MD -0.34, 95% CI -2.01 to 1.32). None of the studies assessed prostate cancer mortality. No other meta-analyses were possible since other outcomes assessed only had one study contributing data.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Five-alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs, such as finasteride or dutasteride, reduce the risk prostate cancer in men who have routine prostate cancer screening | Cochrane
Five-alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs, such as finasteride or dutasteride, reduce the risk prostate cancer in men who have routine prostate cancer screening
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Bisphosphonates for advanced prostate cancer | Cochrane
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in many western countries and is characterized by its propensity to spread to bone which occurs in more than 80% of patients with advanced disease. Patients are at risk of complications including pain, hypercalcaemia, bone fracture and spinal cord compression. The role of bisphosphonates for the palliation of symptoms associated with advanced prostate cancer, was evaluated in this review. Pain relief was improved, and the incidence of skeletal events was reduced in patients receiving bisphosphonates compared to control patients. A significant increase in nausea was observed in patients who received bisphosphonates compared to placebo. Bisphosphonates do not appear to influence disease progression or patient survival, however, they should be considered as a palliative option in advanced prostate cancer.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Radiotherapy after surgery for prostate cancer | Cochrane
Surgical removal of the prostate has a high chance of cure when prostate cancer is confined to the prostate. High-risk features (ie, cancer that has spread through the capsule surrounding the prostate into the nearby seminal vesicles or to the edge of the surgical specimen) found at the time of surgery increase the risk of the cancer recurring. Recurrence of cancer might show up as an abnormal blood test (increased prostate-specific antigen (PSA)), local recurrence at the site of the prostate, or distant spread (most commonly to bones).
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Psychosocial interventions for men with prostate cancer | Cochrane
Approximately one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, and the number of men living with, or after, the diagnosis will continue to rise. Some of them will experience problems such as difficulty in passing urine, pain and sexual dysfunction, and these may cause distress, anxiety, uncertainty or depression. Their quality of life may therefore be affected. Health professionals often provide interventions to address some of these prostate cancerrelated symptoms and the psychosocial problems that they may cause. However as yet, we do not know how effective, collectively, these interventions are.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Cryotherapy for localised prostate cancer | Cochrane
Cryotherapy is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of localised prostate cancer. Under anaesthesia, probes are inserted into the prostate tumour that freeze the tissue, thereby killing tumour cells. This procedure is carried out on a day-patient basis and generally patients are allowed home the following day. The main complications associated with cryotherapy include impotence (inability to maintain an erection), incontinence, and tissue sloughing (making urination difficult). Studies report that cryotherapy has potential clinical benefits for many patients with no evidence of cancer postoperatively; however, the quality of the available evidence is poor.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
