Prevention Checklist for Men

Transcription

1 Page 1 f 5 Preventin Checklist fr Men A lt f prgress has been made in cancer research, but we still dn t understand exactly what causes mst cancers. We d knw that many factrs put us at higher risk fr different cancers. Sme f these factrs are beynd ur cntrl, but there are thers that we can d smething abut. Tday there are tests that can help us detect sme cancers in their earliest stages, when they are still small, have nt spread, and are easiest t treat. Here is sme infrmatin abut the mst cmmn cancers in men. The first clumn shws what can increase yur risk (risk factrs). The secnd clumn shws hw yu may be able t lwer this risk. The early detectin clumn shws ways t find the cancer early, when it s mst easily and successfully treated. The last clumn n each sheet is fr yu t write dwn yur wn plan t help reduce yur risk r detect cancer early. It s imprtant t knw that sme factrs may place yu at higher risk than thers, and sme actins may lwer yur risk mre than thers. Als, many cancers develp withut any knwn risk factrs present. Fr a mre cmplete explanatin f cancer risk factrs, visit ur Web site at r call us any time, day r night, at If yu have risk factrs r haven t had yur early detectin tests when they were due, please take this wrksheet and talk t yur dctr abut it. Cancer-related check-ups The American Cancer Sciety recmmends that after age 20 all men get cancer-related check-ups as part f general health visits. This check-up shuld include health cunseling and might include lking fr cancers f the skin, thyrid, muth, lymph ndes, and testicles, as well as fr sme diseases ther than cancer. Special tests fr certain cancers are recmmended as utlined n the wrksheets.

2 Page 2 f 5 Skin Cancer Have yu ever sunbathed? Have yu used tanning beds r sunlamps? D yu have pale skin and blnd r red hair? D yu sunburn easily r have many freckles? Did yu have severe sunburns as a child? D yu have many r unusually shaped mles? D yu live in a suthern climate r at a high altitude? D yu spend a lt f time utdrs (fr wrk r recreatin)? Have yu ever had radiatin treatment? Has anyne in yur family had skin cancer? D yu have a weakened immune system due t an rgan transplant, HIV infectin, r anther cnditin? Were yu brn with xerderma pigmentsum (XP), basal cell nevus syndrme, r dysplastic nevus syndrme? Have yu been expsed t any f the fllwing chemicals? Arsenic Cal tar (cncentrated r prlnged expsures at wrk) Paraffin Radium Fr mre infrmatin n risk factrs, read What are the risk factrs fr melanma? and What are the risk factrs fr squamus and basal cell skin cancer? n Stay ut f the sun as much as pssible, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wear a brad-brimmed hat, a shirt, and UV-prtective sunglasses when ut in the sun. Use a sunscreen with an SPF f 15 r higher, and reapply it ften. Wear wrap-arund sunglasses with at least 99% UV absrptin, labeled as blcking UVA and UVB light; r "UV absrptin t 400 nm," which means UVA and UVB prtectin. D nt use tanning beds r sunlamps. Prtect yung children frm excess sun expsure. Check yur skin ften fr abnrmal r changing areas, especially mles, and have them checked by a dctr. Fr mre infrmatin n reducing yur risk, read Can melanma be prevented? and Can squamus and basal cell skin cancer be prevented? n Regular self exam: Becme familiar with any mles, freckles, r ther spts n yur skin. Use a mirrr r have a family member r clse friend lk at areas yu can t see (ears, scalp, lwer back). Fr infrmatin n skin self-exam, read Skin Cancer Preventin and Early Detectin n Check fr skin changes nce a mnth. Shw any suspicius r changing areas t a dctr. Cancer-related check-up (including skin exam) with yur dctr is recmmended during regular visits fr peple age 20 and lder, especially thse with risk factrs fr skin cancer. Fr mre infrmatin n early detectin, read Can melanma be fund early? and Can squamus and basal cell skin cancer be fund early? n Steps t lwer yur risk: Early detectin:

3 Page 3 f 5 Prstate cancer Are yu lder than 50? Are yu African American? D yu have a father, brther, r sn wh was diagnsed with prstate cancer befre they were 65? D yu eat a lt f red meat r high-fat dairy prducts and tend t eat fewer fruits and vegetables? Are yu verweight? Fr mre infrmatin n risk factrs, read What are the risk factrs fr prstate cancer? n Eat plenty f fruits, vegetables, and whle grains, and limit yur intake f red meats (beef, prk, r lamb), especially high fat r prcessed meats (like deli meats, ht dgs, and bacn). Get t and stay at a healthy weight. Be physically active. Fr mre infrmatin n exercise, read Fitting in Fitness n Talk t a dctr abut whether medicine t reduce prstate cancer risk may be right fr yu. Fr mre infrmatin n reducing yur risk, see Can prstate cancer be prevented? n Talk t a dctr abut the uncertainties, risks, and ptential benefits f prstate cancer testing (screening) s that yu can make an infrmed decisin abut whether t get tested. Start these talks when yu are 50 if yu are at average risk and are expected t live at least 10 mre years. Start these talks when yu are 45 if yu are at high risk. (Yu are at high risk if yu are African American, r have a sn, father, r brther diagnsed with prstate cancer befre they were 65.) Start these talks when yu are 40 if yu have mre than ne clse relative (father, brther, r sn) diagnsed befre they were 65. If yu decide t be tested, a PSA (prstate-specific antigen) bld test shuld be dne as a part f screening. Yur dctr may als d a digital rectal exam (DRE). Steps t lwer yur risk: Early detectin: Fr mre infrmatin n early detectin, read Can prstate cancer be fund early? n

4 Page 4 f 5 Lung cancer D yu smke tbacc? D yu nw r have yu ever wrked arund asbests? Are yu r have yu been expsed t radn? Have yu been expsed t any f these in yur wrkplace? Uranium Arsenic Vinyl chlride D yu smke marijuana? Are yu nw r have yu been regularly expsed t secndhand smke? D yu have family members wh have had lung cancer? Fr mre infrmatin n risk factrs, read What are the risk factrs fr lung cancer? n Quit smking. Encurage thse yu live r wrk with t quit. Avid areas where peple are smking arund yu. Sme peple chse t cntact their state s radn ffice r the US Envirnmental Prtectin Agency t learn abut having their hmes checked fr radn. Use precautins when wrking with cancer-causing chemicals, r avid them altgether. Fr mre infrmatin n reducing yur risk, read Can lung cancer be prevented? n The American Cancer Sciety has thrughly reviewed the subject f lung cancer screening and issued guidelines that are aimed at dctrs and ther health care prviders: Patients shuld be asked abut their smking histry. Patients wh meet ALL f the fllwing criteria may be candidates fr lung cancer screening: 55 t 74 years ld, In fairly gd health Have at least a 30 pack-year smking histry, AND Are either still smking r have quit smking within the last 15 years. Dctrs shuld talk t these patients abut the benefits, limitatins, and ptential harms f lung cancer screening. Patients wh decide t start screening shuld be screened with lw-dse CT scans yearly thrugh age 74 as lng as they remain in gd health Steps t lwer yur risk: Early detectin: Fr mre infrmatin n early detectin, read Can lung cancer be fund early? n

5 Page 5 f 5 Clrectal cancer Have yu ever had cln r rectal cancer? Has anyne in yur family had cln r rectal cancer? D yu have a clrectal cancer syndrme in yur family, such as familial adenmatus plypsis (FAP) r hereditary nnplypsis cln cancer (HNPCC), als called Lynch syndrme? Have yu ever had a type f intestinal plyp called an adenmatus plyp? Have yu had a chrnic inflammatry bwel disease such as Crhn s disease r ulcerative clitis fr several years? Are yu lder than 50? D yu eat a lt f red meat (beef, prk, lamb) r prcessed meats (deli meat, ht dgs, bacn)? Are yu physically inactive? Are yu verweight? D yu use tbacc? D yu drink mre than 2 alchlic drinks per day? Fr mre infrmatin n risk factrs, read What are the risk factrs fr clrectal cancer? n Fllw early detectin (screening) guidelines t find and remve adenmatus plyps befre they becme cancer. Increase the intensity and amunt f physical activity yu get each week. Fr mre infrmatin n nutritin and exercise, read ur Guidelines n Nutritin and Physical Activities fr Cancer Preventin n Get t and stay at a healthy weight. Eat plenty f fruits, vegetables, and whle-grain fds, and limit prcessed meats and red meats. Quit smking. Cut back t n mre than 2 alchlic drinks per day, if yu drink at all. Fr mre infrmatin n risk reductin, read Can clrectal cancer be prevented? n Starting at age 50,* yu shuld fllw ne f the 7 ptins belw. The tests that find bth early cancer and plyps are preferred if these tests are available and yu are willing t have ne f them. Talk t yur dctr abut which test is best fr yu. Tests that can find plyps and cancer: Duble-cntrast barium enema every 5 years Flexible sigmidscpy every 5 years Clnscpy every 10 years CT clngraphy (virtual clnscpy) every 5 years Tests that mainly find cancer: Yearly take-hme package fr guaicbased fecal ccult bld test (gfobt), r fecal immunchemical test (FIT) Stl DNA test every 3 years *Talk t yur dctr abut starting testing at a yunger age and/r mre ften if yu have any f these risk factrs: A parent, sibling, r child yunger than 60 (r in 2 such relatives f any age) with clrectal cancer r plyps. Clrectal cancer syndrmes in yur family Yu have had cln r rectal cancer r adenmatus plyps Yu have r have had chrnic inflammatry bwel disease fr several years Steps t lwer yur risk: Early detectin: Fr mre infrmatin n early detectin, read Can clrectal plyps and cancer be fund early? n Updated Octber 2014