These cancers may go unnoticed until it’s too late. Here’s how and why you need to pay attention to your body.
Men: Visiting your doctor regularly is extremely important, even if you’re not sick.
A routine physical along with proper age-related screenings and a chance to talk to your physician about any changes in your body are good defenses against cancer.
“Many cancers are very indolent and can come on slowly over time, and you won’t even know you have cancer,” said Dr. Waleed Khalaf, an oncologist with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. “But, with cancer, if it’s caught early enough, there’s a much better outcome, a much better prognosis and a much better chance for a cure.”
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most common cancers in men are prostate cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and skin cancers. But the deadliest cancers for men (in order) are lung cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.
“I think men tend to put things off,” Khalaf said, “but it’s very important to do all the recommended screenings. We have resources, and we should take advantage of them.”
Here, we take a look at what you can do to best prevent certain cancers, what screenings to get, and how to keep an eye out for new or changing symptoms.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women. “The one best thing you can do to prevent cancer is to not smoke,” Khalaf said. Keep in mind that smoking cigarettes can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body, not just the lungs. If you do smoke, seek help from your physician to quit. Also, be sure to avoid secondhand smoke. Each year, more than 7,300 nonsmokers die from lung cancer as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke, according to the CDC.
The American Cancer Society recommends a low-dose computed tomography screening yearly if you’re 50 to 80 years old who smoke or formerly smoked and have a 20-year or greater pack history. Consult your doctor if you experience coughing that doesn’t improve, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing up blood, fatigue or unexplained weight loss. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. If you haven’t already, test your home.
Prostate cancer
About one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and the average age of diagnosis is 67, according to the American Cancer Society. The risk is higher in African American men; other risk factors include a family history of prostate cancer, inherited genetic mutations, smoking, chemical exposure and prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate.
Screening tests exist for prostate cancer, though they can’t tell you for sure if you have prostate cancer. Physicians use a blood test that tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or a digital rectal exam to feel for bumps or hard areas that could be cancerous. If either of these tests aren’t normal, your physician may recommend waiting and doing another test, getting the other type of test or scheduling a prostate biopsy.
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer is on the rise in young people — and is more common than you’d think. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths in men. Thankfully, colorectal polyps are being found more often by screening, which allows them to be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening also helps discover colorectal earlier, when they are easier to treat.
The American Cancer Society recommends regular screenings beginning at age 45 and continuing through 75 for people of average risk of colorectal cancer. If you’re at an increased risk for colon cancer — if you have a family history, have inflammatory bowel disease, have type 2 diabetes or are obese, among other risks — your doctor might suggest earlier tests. Talk to your physician about which screening is right for you: stool test, flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Tell your doctor if you experience blood in your stool, stomach pain that doesn’t improve or unexplained weight loss.
Liver cancer
Almost 25,000 men get liver cancer each year in the United States and about 19,000 die from it, according to the CDC. Make sure you’ve received the hepatitis B vaccine, get tested for hepatitis C and drink alcohol only in moderation.
“When you reduce the chance of hepatitis, liver disease and cirrhosis, you reduce the chance of liver cancer,” Khalaf said. Talk to your doctor if you experience pain or discomfort on the right side of your upper abdomen, pain near the right shoulder blade, a yellowing of the skin or eyes or easy bruising. Also pay attention to unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting.
Pancreatic cancer
It’s expected that 67,000 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year. Risk factors include a family history or inherited genetic mutation; other factors include long-standing diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, obesity, advanced age and heavy smoking or alcohol use.
Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is hard to find early — therefore, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms. If you experience fatigue or physical weakness, jaundice, weight loss, poor appetite, abdominal pain, back pain, nausea or high blood sugar (feeling thirsty, hungry and the urge to urinate more often), see your physician.
Skin cancer
Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer, but we can reduce our risk by minimizing our exposure to ultraviolet light. Avoid tanning (both indoor and outdoor). When outdoors, wear protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses, and slather on sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher with broad-spectrum protection.
If you’ve got an increased risk of skin cancer, talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist about recommendations on screening. Inspect your skin regularly for any suspicious moles or spots and talk to your doctor regarding them.
Learn more
The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is a national leader in patient care and research. Vanderbilt offers the region’s most complete range of oncology care, from advanced imaging to team-based treatment options to genetic cancer medicine and the latest in therapies being studied in clinical trials.
