Prostate Cancer Awareness Month – Awareness about SA’s most common male cancer remains dangerously low

Key messages:

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and the Hollard Daredevil Run marks the occasion with a renewed call to action for South African men to prioritise their health and get screened.?
Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers affecting South African men, yet remain significantly underdiagnosed due to a persistent culture of avoidance and a lack of awareness around symptoms and screening options.?
Early detection is the single most effective tool in improving survival outcomes for both prostate and testicular cancer. The Hollard Daredevil Run exists to ensure that every South African man understands this and has access to the information needed to act on it.?
Funds raised through the Daredevil Run support the work of CANSA and the PCF, organisations that provide screening, education and patient support to men and communities across the country.?

AWARENESS ABOUT SA’S MOST COMMON MALE CANCER REMAINS DANGEROUSLY LOW

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness and encourage early detection about a disease that affects millions of men globally.

Despite the growing incidence, awareness about prostate cancer remains worryingly low in South Africa. A 2023 study among Black men diagnosed with prostate cancer in the Free State found that fewer than one in four had even heard of prostate cancer before their diagnosis¹.

Another study in the same year among men in Limpopo found that almost two-thirds had inadequate awareness about prostate cancer, while more than 80% had no knowledge about screening methods².

This is particularly concerning given the risk South African men face. One in four black men and one in eight white men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime³. Black African men face a 60% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than white men, and are 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease⁴.

According to Andrew Oberholzer, the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of South Africa,

Black African men are even more prone to develop an aggressive form of prostate cancer than Black American men. Studies across Africa are seeking to identify the genetic factors that could help explain this increased risk³.

According to the specialised cancer research agency of the World Health Organization, Globocan, prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in South Africa. It is also the second mostly deadly cancer in South African men after lung cancer⁴.

When prostate cancer is detected early and treated, before it has spread beyond the prostate, more than 99% of men are still alive five years after diagnosis5.

A new 2026 South African study by researchers from Walter Sisulu University found that late presentation of prostate cancer remains a widespread challenge, highlighting gaps in early detection, delayed referrals and limited access to PSA testing⁶.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made by the prostate. A simple blood test can measure PSA levels, which can help detect prostate cancer early. A high PSA level will possibly require further investigation and referral to a urologist⁷.

Awareness initiatives such as the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Suit Up September campaign and the annual Hollard Daredevil Run play an important role in getting more South African men talking about prostate cancer, understanding their personal risk and taking action when it comes to screening.

Funds raised through the Hollard Daredevil Run, which takes place this year on 23 October, support the work of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), helping to raise awareness about both prostate and testicular cancers and extend PSA screening to communities where access remains limited.

“Low awareness, limited access to screening and the life-saving potential of early detection are at the heart of the Hollard Daredevil Run. Too many South African men still know too little about prostate cancer, their personal risk and the importance of getting screened. We need to keep changing that conversation,” says Hollard South Africa’s Head of Experiential Marketing, Adél Kriel.

Prostate cancer starts in the prostate, a small gland in men which is found just below the bladder⁸.

early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms which is why screening is so important for early detection⁹.

“Feeling healthy doesn’t necessarily mean that prostate cancer isn’t there, as the disease often develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages,” says Oberholzer. “Regular, age and risk appropriate PSA screening gives men a better chance of finding the disease early, when treatments are a potentially curable and outcomes are generally far better.”

Symptoms of advanced prostate cancer can include difficulty urinating, blood in the urine or semen, erectile dysfunction, bone pain, weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, unexplained weight loss and persistent fatigue⁹.

Prostate cancer is not common in men under 40, but the risk increases with age. Having close relatives with prostate cancer, especially a father or brother, can significantly increase a man’s risk of developing it and the younger the relative was when they were diagnosed, the higher the risk. A family history of breast cancer is also associated with increased prostate cancer risk. Inherited genetic factors are estimated to account for up to 57% of a man’s susceptibility to developing the disease¹⁰.

It is recommended that men at higher risk for prostate cancer should go for an annual PSA screening from the age of 40. For men with an average risk, screening should start at the age of 45¹¹.

There is currently no accurate data on how common prostate cancer is in South African men, which is why the Prostate Cancer Foundation has this month announced that the first comprehensive Prostate Cancer Registry is being developed in partnership with non-profit data analysis organisation, Health Quality Assessment (HQA) and various medical professional societies.

“The message we want every South African man to hear is simple: Don’t wait for symptoms. Prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its early stages, yet this is when the chances of successful treatment are highest. Know your risk, speak to your healthcare provider or local clinic and get screened. Early detection can save your life,” Oberholzer says.

For more information and registration details about the 2026 Hollard Daredevil Run, go to https://www.hollard.co.za/daredevilrun. For more information about the Prostate Cancer go to https://prostate-ca.co.za/ and https://cansa.org.za/prostate-cancer/.