Even when it is the men that are suffering from the disease, it can often be their partners that contact counselors. Cancer Research UK found that 45% of calls to their help-line regarding prostate cancer were from women. For testicular cancer this figure was 40%.
Cancer Research UK's Psychosocial Oncology Group at the University of Sussex (UK) says that these figures highlight a communication difference between the sexes.
"Feelings can be quite hard for men to discuss, particularly if it's about things like male cancers which are threatening to their notions of masculinity and manhood," Professor Lesley Fallowfield, Director of the Group, told BBC News Online.
"There's also a cultural expectation that big boys don't cry and many men do not actually ask about things that trouble them even if it's anonymously and over a phone line. So we have to find new ways of reaching them because sharing concerns can be a real help," she added.
One route may be through the Internet. According to a National Statistics Omnibus Survey, men are 13% more likely to use the internet than women.
So, Cancer Research UK is launching a message board on its website during June in a bid to encourage men to discuss their experiences of male cancers.
A breakdown of calls made to information nurses at Cancer Research UK shows that between 1999 and 2001 an average of 2531 men called the charity each year compared to 5617 women.
Every year in the UK around 22,800 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 1,900 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Timely expert analysis on key business issues. Find out more by visiting www.datamonitor.com
(c) 2001 Datamonitor. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.