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Cancer

Home > Men's Health Home > Top Health Concerns of Men > Cancer

• Skin Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Additional Resources

Cancer is a group of many diseases that begin in cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Most cancers are named for the part of the body where they start. Survival rates have improved for many types of cancers in recent years. But, you can lower your risk of cancer by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Screenings also can help find some cancers early, when they are most treatable. The cancers listed here are among the most common or found only in men.

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer for all men and women. Anyone can get skin cancer, but some people are at greater risk. Some risk factors include:

• Having fair skin that freckles or burns easily
• Living in areas that get high levels of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation, such as in the south or mountains
• Having scars or burns on the skin
• Having certain diseases or using medicines that make the skin sensitive to the sun
• Personal or family history of skin cancer

Despite these risks, sun exposure is the single most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers. Your best defense against skin cancer is to:

• Limit time spent outdoors when the sun's UV rays are most intense (10 a.m.– 4 p.m.) and seek shade when possible.
• Don't use tanning beds and sunlamps, which also give off harmful UV rays.
• Apply water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 and that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating. Use sunscreen on cloudy days too.
• Wear protective clothing, such as wide-brimmed hats, long sleeves, and sunglasses.
• Check for changes in the way your skin normally looks or sores that won't heal. Skin cancer is very treatable when found early.

Lung Cancer

The leading cause of cancer death for both men and women is lung cancer. And cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer is a killer and survival rates are poor. In fact, about 6 in 10 people with lung cancer die within 1 year of finding out they have it. The risk factors for lung cancer include:

• Smoking and being around others who smoke
• Toxins around us at home or work (such as radon gas and asbestos)
• Air pollution (may slightly raise your risk)
• A family history of lung cancer (may slightly raise your risk)

Take these steps to prevent lung cancer:

• Don't smoke. The risk of dying from lung cancer is 23 times higher for men who smoke than for people who have never smoked.
• Avoid secondhand smoke.
• Make sure your home and workplace are radon free and protect yourself from breathing in toxins.

Colon Cancer

Cancer of the colon or rectum is also called colorectal cancer. It is the fourth most common cancer in men. Research has shown that having certain risk factors increases your chance of developing colon cancer. Some of these risk factors include:

• Age. More than 9 in 10 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are older than 50.
• Polyps. These are growths on the inner wall of the colon or rectum that may become cancer. Finding and removing polyps may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
• Family history. Your risk is greater if you have a parent, sibling, or child with a history of colorectal cancer. Also, some people inherit a defective gene that leads to colorectal cancer.
• Personal history of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD includes ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Certain risk factors that you can control also have been linked to colon cancer. Making the following lifestyle changes may help you prevent colorectal cancer, and lead to a healthier life:

• Quit smoking.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Make physical activity a habit. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:
  • Aerobic activity that includes:
    • 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or
    • 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or
    • A combination of moderate and vigorous activity
    and
  • Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days of the week
• Limit alcohol or don't drink.

Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells develop in one or both testicles. The testicles are the male reproductive organs. They make and store sperm cells and are the main source of the hormone testosterone in men. Testicular cancer is rare overall, but it is the most common cancer in men ages 15 to 35. It is also one of the most curable forms of cancer.

Some risk factors for testicular cancer include:

• Having an undescended testicle — a testicle that did not drop from inside the abdomen into the scrotum before birth
• Having testicles that form in an abnormal way
• Being white
• Having a personal or family history of testicular cancer

Checking your testicles regularly is a good way to detect lumps or swelling that could be cancer. Your doctor can also check your testicles during your routine checkups. If you have a young son with an undescended testicle, it is wise to have it corrected. Although undescended testicles are risk factors for testicular cancer, we don’t know if corrective surgery lowers the risk. Yet, corrective surgery is important for other health reasons, such as preventing infertility.

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Are You At Risk for Oral Cancer? What African-American Men Need to Know — This resource provides information on who is at a higher risk of getting oral cancer. It also includes possible signs of oral cancer and suggestions on what to do if you think you have these symptoms.

   http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/OralHealth/Topics/OralCancer/oral_exam_brochure.htm

2.   Male Breast Cancer Treatment — This publication offers information for patients about male breast cancer, including an explanation of its stages, available treatment options, and additional resources.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/treatment/malebreast/Patient

3.   Testicular Cancer: Questions and Answers — This fact sheet provides information about the risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of testicular cancer.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Sites-Types/testicular

4.   What You Need To Know About Cancer of the Colon and Rectum — This booklet provides information on the symptoms, detection, diagnosis, possible causes, and treatment of cancer of the colon and rectum. It also provides information to help people understand their personal risk of colon and rectal cancer, the importance of screening, and what to expect if cancer is found.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/colon-and-rectum

5.   What You Need To Know About Lung Cancer — The diagnosis of lung cancer brings with it many questions and a need for clear answers. This booklet provides an overview of lung cancer, including its causes and risk factors. It describes the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease, and includes lists of questions to ask your doctor from diagnosis through treatment.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/lung

6.   What You Need To Know About Melanoma — This booklet gives an overview about melanoma and discusses several types of treatment. It also provides tips on how to perform a skin self-exam and questions to ask the doctor.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/melanoma

7.   What You Need To Know About Prostate Cancer — This booklet on prostate cancer discusses symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, emotional issues, and questions to ask the doctor. It also includes a glossary of terms and other resources.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/prostate

8. Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Worksheet for Men (Copyright © American Cancer Society) — This worksheet is a helpful aid to educate men on the most common types of cancer that affect them. It provides a checklist of the risk factors, actions to take to lower risk, and concerns you may want to discuss with your doctor.

   http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_4_1x_Cancer_Prevention_Worksheet_for_Men_pdf.asp...

9. Prostate Cancer Treatment Options (Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians) — This online publication provides information about the different treatments for prostate cancer, including prostatectomy, radiation therapy, watchful waiting, and hormone therapy. It also includes the risks and benefits of each.

   http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/cancer/treatment/264.html

Organizations

1.   Cancer Information Service, NCI, NIH, HHS
2.   Screen for Life — National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign
3. American Cancer Society
4. American Lung Association
5. Cancer Care, Inc.
6. Cancer.net
7. Colorectal Cancer Coalition
8. Lungcancer.org
9. Prevent Cancer Foundation
10. Prostate Cancer Foundation
11. Prostate Cancer Institute
12. Prostate Cancer Research Institute
13. The Colon Cancer Alliance
14. Zero — The Project to End Prostate Cancer

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated June 1, 2009.