Five Cancers which Men Should Be Aware Of

Five Cancers which Men should be Aware of

 There are five cancers which men should be aware of because, although modern medicine has managed to conquer or control many infectious diseases, it has not made such tremendous strides in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Indeed, the  numbers of people suffering from cancer of one sort or another seems to be increasing. Many put this down to an ever more polluted environment with exhaust fumes and various industrial chemicals, but, whatever the cause, the successful treatment of many cancers depends on their early detection.

The earlier a cancer is detected the smaller and more contained it is likely to be, and is therefore easier to remove. Unfortunately it can often be difficult to detect a cancer until it has grown large enough to cause some symptoms, but even then it is better to treat it sooner rather than later, since a cancerous growth will often send bits of itself around the body in the bloodstream and cause them to settle in other body organs where they grow and cause more problems.

A recent article from Men’s Health highlights some of the more common cancers that affect men and how to spot them early. For example, the first cancer mentioned is that of the prostate:

“Early signs: Usually there are none. A digital rectal exam can tell if your prostate is hard or irregular, and cancer is suspected with a high PSA (prostate specific antigen) level.”

“False alarms: Urination problems–frequency, urgency, slow stream, incomplete emptying–can be related to prostate enlargement or narrowing of the urethra.”

“The test: A biopsy if the PSA is high or its rate of change is high. But a spiked score can also be a sign of infection, which should be treated with antibiotics for 4 weeks.”

The next cancer mentioned is that of the lungs:

“Early signs: Frequently, none. But a cough that won’t go away–or one that brings up blood–is often evidence the cancer is there. Also, chest pain that’s always present and not influenced by movement, says Ezra Cohen, M.D., a medical oncologist at University of Chicago Medical Center.”

“False alarms: Pneumonia. On a chest x-ray, both pneumonia and a tumor look white. The pneumonia will resolve, but you’ll need another x-ray 4 to 6 weeks later.”

“The test: Biopsy.”

There are three more cancers mentioned which have signs and symptoms to take note of. It is imperative for any man, of any age, to get himself to a doctor if he notes any such warnings because if it is cancer then the earlier treatment is instigated the better the chances of recovery.

These are just five cancers which men should be aware of, but there are others that may be difficult to guard against such as pancreatic cancer, because the causes are not known for sure. There are others however, like skin cancer where there is a definite link with exposure to the sun as a contributory factor, and it makes obvious sense to take precautions as far as possible.