MEN'S HEALTH MATTERS: QIs it true that men seem to die younger than women? I know very little about the prostate but was surprised recently when a friend of mine told me that prostate cancer was as common in men as breast cancer was in women. Is this true?
AMen die younger than women by about five years and have a higher mortality through all age groups. We know how this happens and why it happens, but what we seem to lack is an effective intervention to prevent it. The scope for men to improve their health in both quality and quantity is considerable. We know from statistics that men are poorer attendees of their GPs than women. We know from reports published in 2005 that a male infant has a life expectancy of 77.9 years and a female infant of 83.8 years.
The main cause of early death in males is from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Accidental and non-accidental injury and respiratory disease are also major causes of premature death. Infectious diseases are not as common a cause of early death as in the past due to advances in medicine. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease has also reduced premature death from this cause.
Our knowledge of the causes and treatment of cancer is improving and access to rapid diagnostic tests and treatments has improved outcomes. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for cancer.
The national cancer registry reported 27,000 cancers in 2006. Apart from skin cancers, prostate cancer was the most common cancer with 2,400 men diagnosed and 2,200 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the same period.
Breast cancer was the cause of death in 649 women and prostate cancer was the cause of death in 540 men. The other common cancer in men is lung cancer with 1,090 cases diagnosed in men and 750 in females.
The risk of cancer increases with age and almost doubles every 10 years. Up to the age of 60 the risk of developing cancer in women is higher and after this it is higher for men.
Q I'm in my late 20s and I am still getting spots. I use antibacterial face washes but they don't seem to be working and are difficult to use on my back. I have tried cutting out greasy foods and chocolate but that didn't help much. Is there something else I can do?
AAcne mainly affects people in their teenage years and early 20s. It will eventually clear but in about 5 per cent of men it can persist or even become worse in adulthood. It is caused by a combination of hormones, sebum (oil produced by the skin), blocked pores and bacteria.
It can be made worse by stress, depression, genetics (bad acne can run in families), high humidity and some creams, which can block pores.
Diet doesn't seem to play a role in acne according to trials so you don't need to deprive yourself of chocolate.
Treatment of acne depends on how severe it is and the area of your skin involved. Acne can be treated effectively but it may be slow. All forms of treatment work on preventing the spots you are going to develop in the next few months and not the ones you have now so you need to persist and be patient with any treatment.
There are a few general precautions you can take - avoiding humid conditions, irritating creams and oil- containing moisturisers/hair gels, etc. Abrasive creams and skin treatments can make things worse. Try to avoid scratching or picking spots.
Mild acne, especially if it is only affecting the face, can be treated by topical agents (lotions, creams, etc), which can be obtained over the counter without a prescription. Before applying the acne treatment, apply the affected area twice daily with a mild cleaner or antiseptic wash, and then apply the acne treatment to the whole of the area affected by the acne not just the individual spots.
Ask your pharmacist for treatments that contain salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. There are topical treatments that your doctor can prescribe for you which contain antibiotics or retinoids.
For more severe and wide- spread acne affecting the face, chest or back, I would advise you see your doctor or dermatologist who may prescribe oral medication. You usually need to take medication for at least six months.
There is a lot that can be done for this skin problem, even if the first flush of adolescence has left you far behind.
• This weekly column is edited by Thomas Lynch, consultant urological surgeon, St James's Hospital, Dublin with contributions from Dr Patrick Ormond, consultant dermatologist and dermatological surgeon