A breakthrough triple therapy for advanced prostate cancer can give patients years’ healthier life and reduces the overall risk of death by a third. The regime involves two standard therapies alongside a powerful new hormone medication, darolutamide. The new drug has already proved to be effective as a standalone treatment in the earlier stages of the disease, when given to men who have stopped responding to other medications. But a pivotal trial has now shown that when combined with standard therapies it also has a dramatic effect in patients whose cancer has spread throughout the body. Altho ..read more

Well all is done at last. The final trip inside the deep fat fryer and a farwell both regretful and joyous. Joyous because I have completed the course and regretful because the lovely radiographers who have become part of my life are no more. Events in their lives have given me enjoyment and hence enriched my life so the Lurking Lump has actually brought its own peculiar benefits. It has given me brief insights into other peoples lives as they cope with the stress of cancer and battle with their own inevitable fears. I appreciate that attendance at a hospital creates its own mental strains but ..read more

Well all is done at last. The final trip inside the deep fat fryer and a farwell both regretful and joyous. Joyous because I have completed the course and regretful because the lovely radiographers who have become part of my life are no more. Events in their lives have given me enjoyment and hence enriched my life so the Lurking Lump has actually brought its own peculiar benefits. It has given me brief insights into other peoples lives as they cope with the stress of cancer and battle with their own inevitable fears. I appreciate that attendance at a hospital creates its own mental strains but ..read more

Men feel more guilt when saying no to drinking than women. As soon as people realise you’re not drinking, they get their backs up. It’s a pack mentality’ It’s not just men who are affected by sober shame, but they do appear to have it worse. Data obtained by Alcohol Change UK, the charity that founded Dry January in this country back in 2013, found that in a survey of over 2,000 people 22 per cent of sober men feel uncomfortable in situations where everyone is drinking, compared to 16 per cent of sober women. Similarly, 18 per cent of sober men felt judged in situations with friends, compared ..read more

Cases of mouth cancer in the UK have increased by more than one-third in the last decade to hit a record high, according to a new report. The number of cases has more than doubled within the last generation and previous common causes like smoking and drinking are being added to by other lifestyle factors. According to the Oral Health Foundation, 8,864 people in the UK were diagnosed with the disease last year – up 36 per cent on a decade ago, with 3,034 people losing their life to it within the year. This is an increase in deaths of 40 per cent in the last 10 years, and a 20-per-cent rise in t ..read more

You are invited to join an advisory group for research being conducted at the Centre for Appearance Research, at the University of the West of England, in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University. The research plans to explore men’s thoughts about their bodies, and we are looking for an advisory group who will share their experiences to help design the research. Why conduct research exploring men’s thoughts about their bodies? We have known for decades that women experience concerns about their appearance. However, men are facing increasing pressure regarding how they look (for example, bei ..read more

I have spent my entire working career as a self-employed photographer so the treatment regime has been quite an eye-opener as it is the first time ever that I have had a regular weekly pattern with five days ‘working’ and then two days ‘weekend’. Because this is work: one really does have to regard the treatment and pay attention to the project at hand. i.e. getting inserted into the deep fat fryer (DFF), officially known as ‘Linac 6’, and hoping that the Mekon Death Rays (MDR) which it emits don’t cause too much irritation to the bladder and bowel. I have rapidly discovered that the advice ab ..read more

Well whilst they are marching in Northern Ireland / Six Counties / Ulster – sorry but I am Irish so I understand the sensitivities in the name and don’t want to offend anyone, least of all the lovely radiologist from Co Armagh – today I received my first dose of radio-therapy, hereafter to be known as the ‘Mekon Death Ray’ or MDR. (For those of you who were not around in the 1950’s the Mekon was the arch-enemy of Dan Dare, ‘pilot of the future’, whose exploits were narrated in ‘The Eagle’, a comic whose arrival was anxiously awaited every Thursday). What a great team it turned out to be. For t ..read more

Author: Keith Prance Over the past year, fuel and energy prices have soared taking huge bites out of our pockets, on top of increased rents and food prices. The financial squeeze has been felt by everyone in the UK. Everywhere you look, you’re reminded of the cost-of-living crisis. The news, social media, and your personal bank balance offer stark reminders of the current reality. People are reducing car journeys and taking up cycling, there are those cutting out yearly holidays and in the most challenging of circumstances, people have to choose between heating the house and food items. It’s o ..read more

We are rapidly approaching the holiday season. However, it isn’t all simply having a wonderful Christmas time for many men in the UK during these long cold nights. With added stress and upset from the Covid-19 virus, many men feel the added pressure and more effects of seasonal affective disorder. The winter blues are linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known simply as SAD. The cause of SAD isn’t known exactly; however, it appears to be related to our circadian rhythm- the 24-hour cycle of sleep and wakefulness that regulates many body functions, including hormone levels. As with ..read more