Men and Cancer

This section provides a very brief overview of four different types of cancers that can affect men. Cancer occurs when abnormal cells divide rapidly, destroying normal body tissue in the process. Cancer can begin in any area of the body’s tissue. The first chapter discusses breast cancer which many people associate with women. While they make up a majority of the cases, breast cancer can still occur in men and those at risk for the disease should be screened regularly for it.

The next two chapters discuss two different types of cancers that are more commonly found in men, colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Similar to breast cancer, colorectal cancer can be found at the early stages of development if the patient is screened for the disease regularly. Lung cancer’s number one cause is smoking, which is a risk behavior that can be avoided. A doctor can help provide solutions to quit smoking and other carcinogenic behaviors that may increase the cancer risk.

Lastly, this section ends with discussing prostate cancer, which is a male specific disease. Prostate cancer has a relatively high survival rate because men who see their doctors annually are screened for this using a blood test or a rectal exam.

Cancer is a reason for men to utilize their physicians for regular check-ups.  Participating in these screenings and healthy lifestyle choices is vital to promoting a long, cancer-free life.