Men are known not to like asking for directions, being driven around by women or, perhaps most of all, visiting the doctor, especially when it concerns their intimate regions.

But the health authorities are hoping to help change this, at least when it comes to the last trait, with a new campaign launched yesterday which encourages screening for prostate cancer. And the campaign plays on the virility element too.

Its slogan, written over an image of a sculpted torso, says: Prostate Cancer Knows You're A Man, Show Him You Are A Real Man And Take Care Of Your Health.

But beyond the cheeky approach, the campaign deals with a very serious subject. Prostate cancer, in fact, is the commonest form of cancer in Malta, even though it does not have the highest death rate. Between 2002 and 2006 alone there were 673 new cases - an average incidence of 62 cases out of 100,000 males per year.

The campaign, which will run until Sunday, is the work of the Urology World Foundation and the Health Promotion Department.

Men are encouraged to go for regular check-ups while keeping an eye out for symptoms of prostate cancer, which include not being able to urinate, needlessly feeling the urge to go often, especially at night, erection problems or even pain in the hip region.

The highest numbers of new cases are in the 80-84 age group, followed by the 75-79 group. There was only one reported case of prostate cancer in the under 44 age group between 1996 and 2006.

The cancer develops when cells start multiplying out of control in the prostate gland, which forms part of the male reproductive system. The cancerous cells may then spread to the rest of the body.

Age, genes and obesity are three of the main high risk factors that lead to cancer. Men over 65 years of age are at high risk while obesity increases the chances of cancer by 50 per cent. Although prostate cancer has a very high incidence rate, the death rate is not as high as, say, lung cancer, health promotion director Charmaine Gauci said at the press launch yesterday. In 2007, there were 28 deaths caused by prostate cancer while 103 were caused by lung cancer.

Men needed to be aware of the cancer that might not reveal itself through the usual symptoms, Dr Gauci said.