Tomorrow, April 17, cancer prevention returns to travel by train, in a new guise. In fact, after the editions dedicated to the female universe, this time it’s men’s turn. It is to them that ‘Male Oncological Prevention’ is aimed, the campaign promoted by the IncontraDonna Foundation in collaboration with the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group, presented today in Rome at the Ministry of Health, which sees the actor Cesare Bocci as a testimonial. The initiative sees doctors and volunteers as traveling companions on high-speed, intercity and regional trains, ready to provide free consultations and inform on the importance of correct prevention, both with lifestyle and with vaccinations and screening.
Genitourinary cancers, over 1 million patients live in Italy 04 February 2024
Ageless prevention, for everyone
The initiative – focused on male tumors that affect the genital and urinary systems such as those affecting the prostate, testicle, kidney and bladder, which are often asymptomatic for a long time, as the experts pointed out – wants to relaunch the message that prevention has no age. The invitation to adopt behaviors for a healthy life and against the onset of tumor pathologies is aimed at everyone, checks with specialists are especially indicated after a certain age (after 50), but even younger people can do something : they can get vaccinated against HPV, responsible for different types of tumors, as recalled by Francesco Perrone, AIOM National President, and Emilio Bria, AIOM Coordinator for Lazio, who contributed to drawing up the “Handbook of Health, Dedicated to You-Prevention male oncology”, the booklet distributed with the initiative. With the introduction signed by the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci: “The virus affects both males and females without distinction and can cause cancer in different parts of the body such as the cervix, the vulva, the vagina, the penis, anus, mouth and pharynx. It is estimated that a man is five times more likely to become infected and is often unaware of being a carrier of the virus.”
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Making prevention a little more “masculine”
“After the success of the thirteen editions of the “Frecciarosa we decided to start a campaign focused on male well-being – underlined Adriana Bonifacino, President of the IncontraDonna Foundation – Health protection and the culture of prevention are concepts to be preserved with commitment and dedication; for this reason, thanks to the doctors and the precious help of the volunteers of the IncontraDonna Foundation, we will be back on board the train to provide useful advice and information, encouraging and involving people to be more aware of how to reduce the risk of the onset of pathologies oncology, especially genitourinary ones”.
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In a population, the male one, generally more reluctant towards prevention, despite the burden of cancer diagnoses: in 2023 it is estimated that there were around 208 thousand in men, compared to 187 thousand in women. “There is a tendency on the part of the male population to underestimate the importance of checks with the specialist – commented Andrea Tubaro, Professor of Urology and Head of the Urology Unit of the Sant’Andrea Hospital – Women have a good relationship with medicine and are very sensitive to the problem of prevention which for them begins with the first gynecological visits; men, on the other hand, with the disappearance of school medicine and military medical examinations, often see the doctor only in adulthood or even advanced age, and are less accustomed to thinking in terms of prevention”. Even Enrica Giorgetti, General Director of Farmindustria, recalling the commitment of companies in R&D activities, with almost 23 thousand drugs in development in the world by 2023, 40% dedicated to tumors, recalled this sort of male reticence towards prevention: “Men, unlike women, often pay less attention to prevention. Prevention, on the other hand, is fundamental for a healthier society and a more sustainable system.”
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The information at the basis of prevention
The “Male Oncology Prevention” campaign is supported by the Italian Association of Medical Oncology, (AIOM), by the AIOM Foundation, by AGENAS (National Agency for Regional Health Services) by Farmindustria, and sponsored by the Ministry of Health. “We strongly wanted and supported this new project dedicated to the prevention of oncological pathologies in men – explained Francesco Vaia, Director General of Prevention of the Ministry of Health – in the desire to bridge the gap currently existing between the two sexes in terms of access to prevention measures prevention and in the belief that this must increasingly be an informed and conscious choice with which the citizen becomes a protagonist and ally of the institutions”.
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Echoing Vaia’s words, those of Stefano Cuzzilla, President of Trenitalia, main partner of the initiative: “Consolidating and spreading a common culture in favor of cancer prevention is one of our objectives and today we are particularly proud to see the initiative ‘Prevention travels by train’ grow and enrich yourself with a campaign dedicated to male cancer prevention. This new project once again materializes the commitment of Trenitalia, and of the entire FS Group, in healthcare and inclusion and gives us the opportunity to spread a cultural approach based on raising awareness and promoting prevention, fundamental for a style of healthy life”.
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