PROSTATE cancer is no laughing matter, but it did somewhat provide a diversion for the friends and family of a US man who developed an "uncontrollable Irish accent" after being diagnosed with the condition.
The BMJ Case Reports journal detailed the case, reported by doctors in North Carolina, who said the unnamed man in his 50s noticed the tone and pattern of his speech change, about 18 months after his initial cancer diagnosis, which saw him treated for adenocarcinoma with radiotherapy and hormone therapy.
The report says he spoke consistently with an "Irish brogue" despite having never visited Ireland - although he did have Irish relatives and friends.
The doctors also noted no neurological abnormalities, psychiatric history or brain MRI abnormalities when the symptoms commenced.
It's believed to be the first reported case of so-called foreign-accent syndrome associated with a prostate cancer diagnosis - with the appearance of the Irish accent appearing to be possibly linked with a worsening of the cancer, which the doctors subsequently found had terminally spread to other parts of his body - despite undetectable prostate-specific antigen levels.
The authors of the report said it was important to recognise these types of syndromes and their progression as an indicator of other changes in the body.
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