All About National Commando Day

Friday, July 31, 2009, marks the inaugural observance of National Commando Day. According to the press release from the sponsoring web site, nationalcommandoday.org, the mission of National Commando Day is to raise public awareness about the serious issue of prostate cancer in a light-hearted, fun way. On July 31, both men and women are encouraged to show support for prostate cancer awareness by "going commando" which is refraining from the wearing of underwear.

Traditionally "commando" refers to a specially trained, unconventional military unit and while no one really knows for certain when "going commando" took on the alternative meaning of going without underwear, according to randomfaq.com, this slang usage has been common since at least the 1980s.

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, prostate cancer is the most common form of non-skin cancer in the America, affecting 1 out of every 6 men. In addition, the organization reports that more than 192,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 27,000 men will die from the disease in 2009. It is believed that a new case of prostate cancer occurs every 2.7 minutes in the United States and that a man dies in this country from prostate cancer every 19 minutes. In comparison, breast cancer affects 1 out of every 7 women, according to statistics published at breastcancer.org.

In addition to the prevalence of this serious form of cancer, discussion of prostate cancer according to the sponsors of National Commando Day, is something of a taboo for men with the result that many men eschew the medical procedures available that can lead to early detection. Like most cancers, early detection is a critical factor in cure rates.

The American Cancer Society recommends that beginning at age 50, all men should undergo the two prostate cancer detection tests: the prostate-specific antigen blood test (PSA) and the digital rectal exam (DRE). For those at increased risk for development of prostate cancer like African-American men and men with a family history of the disease, these two tests should be received annually beginning at age 45. These tests help to detect the presence of prostate cancer before onset of symptoms. The Prostate Cancer Foundation says that when prostate cancer is detected and treated early, in the local and regional stages, cure rates are nearly 100 percent with many men becoming disease free in as little as five years.

While most men do not experience any symptoms of prostate cancer in its earliest stages, frequent, hesitant, or burning urination, difficulty in having an erection, painful ejaculation or pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs are recognized symptoms of the disease and a man experiencing any of these should consult their doctor.

The Sponsors of National Commando Day ask both men and women to participate in prostate cancer awareness and education and to help break the stigma associated with the discussion of prostate cancer and detection by committing to "go commando" on July 31. They also ask for visible public participation through the wearing of the powder blue prostate cancer awareness ribbon and through contributing to prostate cancer research. As they note, even if prostate cancer doesn't affect you, it may very well affect those you know and love.

For more information on National Commando Day, visit the web site: www.nationalcommandoday.org

Sources:

"National Commando Day". Prostate Conditions Education Council. June 29, 2009 http://www.nationalcommandoday.org/.

"Go Commando". Random FAQ. June 29, 2009 http://www.randomfaq.com/facts/00583/?Go%20Commando.

"Home Page". Breast Cancer.Org. June 29, 2009 http://www.breastcancer.org/.

"FAQs About Prostate Cancer". Prostate Cancer Foundation. June 29, 2009 http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/site/c.itIWK2OSG/b.189965/k.743F/FAQs_About_Prostate_Cancer.htm.

"Overview: Prostate Cancer". American Cancer Society. June 29, 2009 http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_1x.asp?dt=36.