Testicular cancer
Although still rare compared to other cancers, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged between 15-45 years with around 2,200-2,300 men being diagnosed each year. It is more common in Caucasian males.
If found at an early stage a cure rate of 98% is usually possible and even when testicular cancer has spread to other areas of the body cure can still be achieved. In fact according to recent research overall 96% of men diagnosed with any stage testicular cancer will be alive 10 years after treatment.
It is important to visit your GP as soon as you notice any lump or swelling on your testicle. Your GP will examine your testicles to help determine whether or not the lump is cancerous.
Symptoms
The earliest warning signs of testicular cancer usually include the following:
- A change in size or shape of a testicle.
- Swelling or thickening of a testicle.
- A firm, smooth, initially painless, slow-growing lump or hardness in a testicle.
- A feeling of testicular heaviness.
Useful Links
Bowel Cancer
Bowel cancer is a term used to describe cancer in the colon, rectum or the small bowel.
The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
- Bleeding from the back passage (rectum) or blood in your stools
- A change in normal bowel habits to diarrhoea or looser stools, lasting longer than 4 to 6 weeks
- A lump that your doctor can feel in your back passage or abdomen (more commonly on the right side)
- A feeling of needing to strain in your back passage (as if you needed to pass a bowel motion)
- Losing weight
- Pain in your abdomen or back passage
- A lower than normal level of red blood cells (anaemia)
- Because bowel tumours can bleed, cancer of the bowel often causes a shortage of red blood cells. This is called anaemia and may cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
Bowel cancer screening
How do I get a screening kit?
If you are aged 60-69 years, you will be sent your screening invitation automatically through the post. All you need to do is make sure that your GP has your correct address.
‘People aged 70 years and over or under the age of 60, who wish to be screened, should request a kit. Simply telephone the free helpline on 0800 707 60 60.’
Macmillan cancer support
Have questions about cancer? Visit www.macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 000 free (Monday to Friday 9am – 8pm).
Weight Management
If you would like to know more about weight and diet advice, we offer a weight management clinic giving you advice on how to lose weight and stay healthy.
A range of options are available to support people with weight loss. To understand which of them may be the best fit for you please arrange an appointment with your GP who will be happy to discuss them with you.
One suitable option may be our Health Trainers who offer 1:1 sessions for people wanting to improve their health and change their behaviour. They can support individuals with healthy eating, weight management and getting physically active.
Many doctors now believe that when it comes to your health, your waist measurement is important.
While knowing your body mass index (BMI) is a good way to decide if you are overweight, it does not tell the whole story.
BMI is a measure of how healthy your weight is for your height. You can work out what your BMI is by using the NHS Choices BMI healthy weight calculator. – Already linked.
If you have a high BMI, you are likely to be carrying extra fat. But your health could be at greater risk depending on where you store that fat.
Having a large amount of tummy fat (compared to fat around your bottom or thighs) makes you more likely to develop diabetes and heart problems.
A healthy waist circumference for men is less than 94cm (37 inches), and for women it’s less than 80cm (32 inches).
Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t easy, but it has many benefits. You may only need to make small changes to your lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight.
If you would like to find out more about how you can lose weight in a healthy way please book an appointment with one of our nurses.
For more general information about weight loss, please see the websites below:
External Websites
Check your BMI – NHS Choices
8 tips for healthy eating – NHS Choices
Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs)
It is important to look after your sexual health whatever your age. Safer sex means protecting yourself and your partners from unwanted pregnancies and from catching STIs.
If you are sexually active, you may be at risk of catching an STI (also known as a STD). Practising safer sex and always using a condom reduces the risk of infection and pregnancy.
If you think you may have an STI we would advise you to get tested.
Where to get a test?
Visit Sexual Health South West London for a full list of clinics across Wandsworth, Richmond and Merton.
There are six clinics across the three boroughs, offering contraception and sexual health testing, treatment and advice and are opened for six days a week including Saturdays. The services provided in these clinics are free and confidential. You can book an appointment yourself or attend in an emergency. You do not need your GP to refer you for care, nor do you need to live locally.
You can also call the booking and advice line on 0333 300 2100 to check which clinic you should use. Lines are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings. A recorded message gives useful information outside of these hours.
You can also find other clinics and services near you on the NHS Choices website.
Useful Links
- Sex & Young People
- STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections)
- Sexual Health Facts
- Netdoctor – Sex & Relationships
- The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (under-25s) has more
- NHS Choices – Focus on Chlamydia
- Wandsworth CCG
Sexual health advice for young people
Getting it on offers information for young people aged 13 to 19 about sexual health and drug and alcohol services in South West London.
Young people under the age of 25 can get free condoms from the Come Correct scheme available across a number of boroughs in London, and those aged between 16 and 24 can get a free chlamydia test.
To facilitate young people’s access to condoms and STI testing, METRO has introduced a new online service for under 25s living in Richmond and Wandsworth to order free condoms, lube and chlamydia tests.
Your local pharmacy
Young peoples services in pharmacies provide free condoms and chlamydia testing for under 25s.