A "Men Only Night' is being held by a health association tonight to tackle the growing occurrence of prostate cancer on the Island.

The evening is part of a series of presentations by the Bermuda TB Cancer and Health Association's 'Partnership in Living Well' and will be led by Dr. Michael O'Leary of the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Dr. O'Leary, who has patients from Bermuda travelling to Boston, is involved in leading edge therapies for prostate cancer and a TB Cancer and Health Association spokesperson urged all men to attend.

The spokesperson said: "With the increased awareness of prostate cancer and families in general talking more openly about the condition, there has definitely been an increase over the year in the diagnosis of the condition in Bermuda.

"Prostate cancer can sit quietly for years. That means most men with the disease have no obvious symptoms. Changes happen so slowly as men get older that they don't even realise they're happening.

"Prostate cancer cells tend to grow slowly compared with most other cancers. By age 50, very few men have symptoms of prostate cancer, yet some pre-cancerous or cancerous cells are present.

"More than half of all American men have some cancer in their prostate glands by the age of 80 - so that would directly translate to the increase in the ageing population in Bermuda."

And she added the population most at risk for this cancer are men of colour (African/American) because it tends to start at a younger age and grows faster than in other men.

The only way to counteract the disease is for earlier testing and further education on the topic which is why the Association is bringing in the help of Dr. O'Leary.

For men interested in attending the meeting tonight, it will be held starting at 7 p.m. at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. And from 6 p.m. to 6.45 p.m. the Bermuda Diabetes Association will be Blood Sugar Screening and Neutrogena will be analysing skin from 6p.m. to 6.45 p.m. and 8p.m. to 9 p.m.