Francesco Totti’s jokes didn’t make an entire group laugh

Francesco Totti helped draw attention to prostate cancer, but the ironic way in which he recounted his experience did not convince Giuseppe Carrieri, president of the Italian Society of Urology (SIU).

During a show at the Brancaccio Theater, the former Roma captain described his prostate exam, drawing laughter from the more than 1,000 spectators in attendance. The video of the episode went viral within a few hours, but Carrieri, speaking to Adnkronos Salute, criticized the lighthearted tone Totti used.

The SIU president emphasized that a prostate exam should not be viewed as a traumatic experience nor turned into a joke, as it is, first and foremost, an opportunity for in-depth discussion between doctor and patient.

He also reiterated the importance of not fueling fears about a screening that is essential for prevention and early diagnosis, expressing the hope that in the future Totti can help further raise awareness among men about the importance of prostate health.